This Is War
by LittleWhiteWolf
Summary: Caden never asked for trouble; it just seemed to find her. Now she is 1 of the last 2 Grey Wardens of Ferelden with a chance at stopping the Blight...I'm going to try my best at making this as unique a story as possible! I'd love to know what you think
1. A Wedding at the Alienage

**Chapter One**

**A Wedding at the Alienage**

Happiest day of a girl's life.

Well, so much for the fairytale.

Caden Tabris swung her blade and felt it slice through flesh, the blood spurting onto the white of her wedding gown. Her father had saved his hard earned coin to buy the fabric that Shianni had sewn into the garment and now it was stained with human blood. A very literal representation of the way in which Cadens wedding had been spoiled by the Shems she was now exacting her revenge on.

Soris came up alongside her, lowering the final arrow he had not needed to loose as he did so.

"I can't believe we killed them," he said, shock transparent in his expression. "I can't believe they're dead."

Caden gave him a stern look then spit on the fresh corpse at her feet. Soris regained some composure and his features hardened.

"Point taken."

"Come on, we have to find the others." Caden said, wiping her chin with her sleeve. Instead of removing the blood thereon, she merely succeeded in smearing it down her jaw.

Caden led the way out of the cell and down a corridor into a large room set with four long tables. There were a smattering of off duty guards sitting around and jesting with one another. They looked up in alarm as the two elves walked in, each bearing weapons and...was that blood?

"Oi!" One of the men strode over to Caden. "What do you think you're doing with that sword, elf?"

Caden rotated her wrist so that the blade swung in a wide circle before she stopped it in an upright defensive position. She smiled sweetly. "Just showing off." She felt a cut on her lip tear as she smiled and fresh blood dribbled down from her mouth. "Would you mind terribly directing my friend and I towards Vaughans quarters?"

The man sputtered indignantly and Caden sighed. "I didn't think you would."

She let out a ferocious cry and swung the borrowed longsword towards the man. His face froze in an expression of irritation as she cleaved his head from his body. Then they were all rushing towards her; Soris let his arrows fly swift and true and succeeded in felling a pair who made to attack Caden from the left, leaving her free to dispatch the remaining pair to her right. Before they left, Caden knelt down and tugged a heavy gold chain free from one of the men.

"Caden, what are you doing?" Soris asked, aghast. "As if we weren't in enough trouble as it is!"

Caden shrugged and pocketed the chain. "Call it compensation."

Then she stepped over the corpses and they headed out.

The way led down a new corridor with a single door at its end. Before they could reach it, the door burst open and Cadens eyes widened in horror as she recognised her husband-to-be fly through it. Nelaros landed hard on his back on the floor and for a moment their eyes met, but then the captain of the guard drove his sword into his chest and ended his life. Caden stared down at Nelaros' face, momentarily stricken and unable to move. The captain pulled his blade free and advanced on her. She heard Soris call out as if from very far away, but still she could not look away from Nelaros as he bled out on the cold stone floor. Then a fist connected with her jaw and she fell to the ground beside him. This was enough to snap her back to the present and with a split second decision she thrust her sword upwards, right into the belly of the captain who was mid-swing with his own weapon. He dropped the sword behind him and his arms swung down to his sides. Cadens own arms shook with the effort of keeping her blade steady as the captain began to slowly slide down it towards her, his mouth open and blood dripping from it onto her face. Then with a grunt and a burst of effort, she pushed him to one side, rolled him over and yanked free her sword. She panted heavily, grateful that Soris had been there to shield her from the other guards, who lay dead around him.

Caden knelt beside Nelaros and stroked his still warm cheek. "He died to save me," she murmured. The light in his blue eyes had gone and she gently used her fingertips to close his eyelids. Then she began to feel his pockets. Soris groaned. "You can't pickpocket your own husband."

Caden found what she was looking for and withdrew two slim golden bands. She slid one onto the appropriate finger and held her hand aloft. "This one belongs to me," she said firmly. "**This** one should be returned to his family. I think he said they came from Highever."

Soris softened and went to kneel beside her. "That's right. We'll get it back to them."

"You will," Caden said, pushing the ring into Soris' hands. "I don't intend to make it out of here, but if I do, do you really think the Arl will allow me to do anything more than languish in a cell awaiting my execution?"

Soris gulped. "What can I do? I'm as much to blame for this as you."

"No," Caden said forcefully. "We are getting you and your wife out of here, and then nothing more will be said regarding your involvement. Just promise me that when this is done you will look after my family and see that Nelaros' kin know of his brave deeds?"

Soris could do nothing more than nod, the lump in his throat too big to speak with.

After that it did not take long to discover the chambers where Vaughan had taken the women. The room was small and it only held Valora and the other female elf who Caden could not recall the name of. Soris visibly brightened as he saw his betrothed looking shaken, but safe. Caden turned to her friend. "This is where we part ways." She instructed. "Take these two and get gone, quickly. I will take on Vaughan myself." Soris opened his mouth to protest, but Caden interrupted. "Remember your promise."

He closed his mouth and nodded dumbly. Valora pointed towards the door opposite the one Caden and Soris had entered through. "He took Shianni through there. He said he would come back for us." She shuddered at this thought, but her words came out steadily and she held her head high in spite of an angry looking bruise that was forming on her cheek. For the first time Caden warmed to the mousey woman.

"Then that is my path," she said. Without looking back she headed through the doorway.

Vaughan and Shianni were in the room, along with two other men Caden recognised from the wedding, but she was too late. Shianni was on the bed, her skirt ripped into three strips, her bodice torn revealing one breast. Vaughan was at the foot of the bed, buttoning his breeches, while the other two men pawed at Shianni. Caden's cousin was beside herself with sorrow with tears streaming down her face and blood on the sheets between her legs. Caden felt hot rage bubble up inside her.

"Shem!" she shouted loudly. Had she left any guards alive they would surely have come running, but none did. Vaughan turned to the sound and took in the sight before him: the small elf wielding a sword that was made for a bigger man than she stood as tall as she was able, her gown in slashed to ribbons, spattered with blood, her face a mask of red and her blonde hair falling out of the elaborate up-do it had been in for her nuptials. He would have laughed, but for the look in her dark blue eyes.

The two men on the bed stopped what they were doing and climbed down, going over to stand beside the Arls son. Shianni didn't hesitate—she pulled all her limbs toward her body and curled up into a foetal position, rocking silently on the sheets.

One of Vaughans friends laughed as he took in Cadens appearance. "Whats this? And elf playing warrior?"

"Quiet you fool," Vaughan snapped. "Look at her—she's drenched in blood. What does that tell you?"

Before he could respond, Caden filled in the blanks for him. "I have killed your men, Vaughan. There will be no-one to come to your rescue should you call for them. Thanks to you and your ilk my life is in tatters and my husband dead. I might have merely taken my revenge on your smug face by taking an eye for each elf you have killed today, but given how you have violated my cousin, I do not think I will be able to stop myself until your blood covers this room."

Vaughan drew in a shaky breath, but he knew that everybody had a price. It was simply a matter of finding hers. "Strong words, elf, but you are outnumbered by three to one, and I can see the way your body shakes. You may have murdered my guardsmen, but the effort has exhausted you, whereas I and my friends have just gotten warmed up." One gave a short bark of laughter. "However, I am sure that we can come to some sort of arrangement...? Say fifty silver pieces and the chance to leave Denerim for another Alienage somewhere far away from me?"

Caden gaped. He surely wasn't trying to bribe her? "Nothing will satisfy my while your heart still beats."

Vaughan sighed. "Suit yourself." He gave one of his friends a shove in Cadens direction, which threw everyone off giving him time to lunge backwards and grab his sword from its sheath where it rested on his bureau.

Caden reacted without thinking as the man pitched towards her. She forgot the sword and simply held up her hands hoping to ward him off. His chest hit her hands and she was shunted back against the wall. Before he could recover, she pushed him off her, but right behind him was Vaughan and she had to quickly raise her blade to parry the blow. It was not a very tidy move, but it sufficed. However Vaughan had been quite right when he had pointed out how tired Caden was and how fresh he and his cohorts were. Vaughan fought with precision and strength and it was all Caden could do to just keep herself alive.

_Maker, let me just get one chance for Vaughan_, she thought desperately. _**Then **__I can die, but please, not before I have taken Vaughan down with me. _Her back was still against the wall and Vaughans onslaught was vicious. Their blades clashed loudly and sparks flew as the metals connected. Caden felt the edges of her sight go grey...the tiredness was taking over. Vaughans friends had backed away and were cheering him on.

She was going to die. On her wedding night. Killed by the Shem would had kidnapped her, caused the death of her husband and raped her dearest friend. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes—it would have been too much effort to try to stop them.

The flat of her borrowed sword slammed into his and he started to push against her. It was all she could do to keep hold of the blade. She wanted to close her eyes and wait for the killing blow, but she would be damned if she would hide from what was coming. She stared straight into his eyes.

Then suddenly he made a strangled noise and slumped forward onto her. In shock and disgust, Caden shoved him off her, luckily avoiding his blade or hers cutting her. Caden looked up into Shiannis face. Her expression was steely and cold; it sent a shiver down her spine. Shianni was holding a dagger that was completely coated in Vaughans blood—even her arm was covered, right up her elbow. Vaughan lay dead on the floor in a rapidly growing pool of his own lifeblood. His friends stood and stared at the scene before them. Eventually one shook his head and said: "You'll regret this, knife-ears!" before they both turned and fled.

"Shianni?" Caden asked hesitantly. Her cousin snapped her head around to look at Caden and at once the ruthlessness flooded out of her face.

"Oh, Caden," she moaned, dropping the weapon and falling to her knees, burying her head against Caden. She began to sob loudly and Caden stopped trying to fight her own tears, collapsing to the floor with Shianni. They held onto each other for a long time, until neither could weep any longer.

"Come on Shianni, we have to go...they're probably fetching guardsmen this minute..."

Shianni lent on Caden and together they found their way back home.


	2. Conscripted

Chapter Two

**Conscripted**

"This is akin to kidnap, I'll have you know." Caden snapped angrily. The Grey Warden walked ahead of her, his back giving no clue as to whether he was listening. Given that this was the fourteenth time she had said this, she doubted he was paying much attention to her. She was weighed down with most of the gear he had brought to the Alienage (a single tent, the spare weapons, the food and cooking implements and the Maker-damned documents that proved that he did indeed have the right to conscript whomsoever he chose). This pack-horse act was apparently designed to toughen her up and strengthen her on the journey to Ostagar. She thought it was just a ruse to try to tire her into silence.

Duncan had outlined their travel plans before they left: heading down through the Hinterlands and to the edge of the Korkari Wilds where the decrepit fortress of Ostagar stood, where the Kings armies were massing to make a final stand against the darkspawn. Whatever they were, Caden griped to herself. Duncan was the leader of the Grey Wardens, that much she knew and she knew enough of their tales to understand a little of what awaited her. Duncan had explained that there was almost certainly a Blight upon Ferelden, but try as she might, Caden just could not envisage what he meant. Finally he had broken it down to her to explain that it would be bad news for Shems and elves alike and that had sunk in, even if she was hazy on the exact details.

She had had to admit that when Duncan stepped forward to defend her when the Arls men had come to arrest her, she had been grateful. For all her brash words to Soris, she did not particularly have any desire to die at that very moment. Her father had looked close to tears when the guards descended upon the Alienage. At least Soris had stuck to his word and allowed her to claim that she alone had brought the estate to its knees. Shianni had not been mentioned by the guards, but even if they had connected her with the events, she had become hysterical upon returning to the Alienage and had needed a sleeping draught to calm her into a deep slumber.

Shianni…Caden hadn't even been able to say goodbye, as Shianni had been asleep. What would she think when she awoke to find her cousin gone? It had been difficult enough for Caden to say goodbye to her father, who insisted that before she left she had to strip off the blood soaked wedding gown and wash. When she was dry, he had presented her with ageing leather armour that had been kept maintained for years without her ever having clapped eyes on it. It had been her mothers, along with the boots he had given her as a wedding gift.

"So, I take it being a Grey Warden is not something most people sign up for if you have that Right of Conscription?" She called out crossly, trying to illicit any sort of response from the silent man leading the way. "I'm guessing you have to use it often?"

For a while she thought he was continuing to ignore her, but then, without breaking his stride, he spoke. "Actually we find many people who wish to join up but due to extenuating circumstances we are forced to use the Right in order to convince _**others**_ to let them leave." Caden frowned at this.

"Like what?" she asked in spite of herself.

"If we conscript a mage, usually." Duncan explained, slowing to fall into step beside her. "Often the Templars do not wish to release them into someone elses responsibility. I have also had to use it in Orzammar should a casteless dwarf be in the employ of one unwilling to part with them." He gave her a sideways glance. "The last Warden I conscripted was training to be a Templar. I almost had to use the Right, but the Revered Mother acquiesced to allowing me to take him."

"Oh." Caden said quietly. She had never heard of Orzammer and while she knew Mages and Templar's existed and what they respectively did, she knew little about them. She had rarely ventured into the market district in Denerim and never beyond that, bar her bloody sojourn into the Arls estate. She was seeing more of Ferelden now than she ever had before and she felt very young and stupid.

"Do you often find recruits at Alienages?" she asked after a moment.

"Not often, I have to say." Duncan said regretfully. "Those we recruit need to already be trained in fighting, in discipline. They need to be strong and clever and we only take the best. Sadly, as you know elves are not often trained in the art of fighting and they tend to be malnourished and weak. We sometimes find the Dalish to be more what we seek, yet on the whole they tend to be reluctant to leave their clans."

"Wait, the Dalish exist?" Caden asked, momentarily forgetting her earlier question.

"Oh yes," Duncan said with a chuckle. There are more camps than you might imagine. But they are a secretive people and difficult to track down."

Caden thought about this as they walked and cast her mind back to the days when she had first heard of the Dalish. She had been a small girl and overheard some of the elders talking about a group of boys who had left to find the Dalish. She had asked her mother about them and been regaled with stories of tribes of elves who lived free from humans and whom the humans feared, instead of the other way around. It was around that time that Adaia had begun to teach Caden the art of fighting.

Caden sighed at this memory. If Duncan heard her, he declined to push for an explanation.

"I think it would be a good idea to set up camp here, don't you agree?" He said instead. Caden nodded and set the pack down, untying the ropes that held the tent in place and began to erect it while Duncan started to collect some firewood.

* * *

"I nearly recruited your mother a long time ago," Duncan said, once their brief meal of potato and carrot stew (they had been unable to procure any meat) was over and they were sitting beside the warmth of the fire.

Cadens head flew up in surprise. "What?"

"I came to the Alienage in Denerim many years ago before you were born and discovered a remarkable woman, by the name of Adaia."

Caden frowned but said nothing. Duncan went on: "I had heard tell that there was a troublemaker in the Alienage who was a menace to every human who entered. Of course, this was told to me by humans, so naturally they would say that." Duncans eyes sparkled with mirth as he told Caden about her mother. "She looked a lot like you, Caden, I have to say I nearly thought you were her when I first clapped eyes on you. Not just in look, but in the way you approached me. I believe she greeted me with the same level of contempt and aggression as you did."

Caden couldn't help but flush with embarrassment at the memory. Duncan laughed heartily as he took in her expression.

"I wanted to recruit your mother." Duncan said fondly. "She was magnificent."

"Why didn't you?" Caden asked, her curiosity most defiantly piqued.

"Valendrian convinced me not to." Duncan said. "Apparently Adaia was being courted by a handsome young elf by the name of Cyrion and Valendrian believed my taking Adaia away would cause such misery in both younglings. As we were not in any dire need of Wardens I let them be, and I am glad of that. Grey Wardens have a hard life separated from their families with no true home and I am so happy to see that Adaia found love with your father and that they were blessed with you."

"My mother taught me everything I know about fighting." Caden said thoughtfully. "And she told me stories about the Wardens, but she never said she was nearly one of them."

"I thought that must have been where you learned it." Duncan said. "I was saddened to hear of her death."

Caden focused very intently on the smouldering flames at this. She picked at the grass that was scuffed on the toe of her boot. Her mother's boots…

She stood up suddenly. "I'm going to get some sleep."

"Very well, I will wake you when it is time for your watch." Duncan said amiably. Caden hesitated then disappeared into the tent.

* * *

Ostagar was a grey, decaying fortress awash with colour. To Cadens fatigued eyes (Duncan had chosen to cut their last night's sleep short in order to push on to the camp and reach it by midday) it reminded her of the travelling minstrels that had danced throughout Denerim one midsummer many years ago. The different colours of the soldiers denoting different factions, flying banners and the tents draped with coats of arms were all too bright assaults on her tired disposition. There was a steady drum of talking, sprinkled with the occasional laugh even. The melodious words of the Chant of Light floated through the air. Caden blinked as she followed Duncan leading a path through the throng. The noise and sight of it all baffled her senseless and it was all she could do to wearily place one foot in front of the other. When Duncan stopped all of a sudden, she actually walked right into him, bumping her face against his back. She stepped around the Warden to the sounds of bluff boyish charm.

"...and I understand that this is to be your latest recruit, Duncan?" the tall, blonde man was saying. Caden flinched when he addressed her directly. "I hear that you hail from the Alienage back in Denerim? Never had the chance to grace the place myself—my advisors seemed to think it unsafe (ridiculous notion!). How are things there of late?"

Caden opened her mouth and tried to say something polite, but the tiredness seized her tongue and she blurted out: "The arls son kidnapped me and raped my friend so she—I killed him." She froze when she realised what she had just said and raised a nervous gaze to the man addressing her. It was then the sudden realisation dawned on her, that Duncan had called him 'your Highness'.

His Highness looked bewildered. "You...what?"

"Its true, my liege," Duncan stepped in for the second time since Caden had been introduced to him. "The elves of Denerim have long lived under the cruelty of the arls son. I have been advised that this sort of behaviour is sadly uncommon. Caden here was moments from being married when Vaughan descended on the wedding party to steal the women away." Caden nodded silently.

The kings face set into a determined gaze and he actually placed a hand on Cadens shoulder. She forced herself not to flinch at the touch of his hand. "I swear you now that as soon as we are finished here, I will return to Denerim and have words with the Arl. I won't have citizens of my city being treated in such a way, whether they live within the walls of an Alienage or outside of it."

Caden was bowed down by the forceful promise. "Thank you, your Majesty." She said humbly.

The king smiled, then turned back to Duncan. "Now I'm sorry but I must cut this short..."

* * *

Caden was finally freed from pack carrying duties and although she had been given clear instructions and directions to find a fellow Warden, her curiosity at the sight of this place lured her elsewhere. She wandered through the separate camps listening to the noise of the chatter and barked orders and mostly went unnoticed. She passed by a group of mages who looked like they were assisting one of their members who was in some sort of trance. A Templar keeping watch explained that the central mage was within the Fade at that time. She did not know what that meant. She found the source of the Chant of Light when she walked by a dais on which a Lay Sister was praying over some kneeling soldiers. She walked over to a demonstration on general was giving to some infantrymen as he stood beside a dead darkspawn. _**So that's what they look like**_, she mused to herself before heading elsewhere.

Eventually Caden glanced at the sun in the sky and realised just how much time had passed since she had been sent on her quest. She hurried to the stone ramp she had originally been directed towards, but this Alistair fellow was nowhere to be found. Cursing her curiosity, she turned and headed back down, unsure of where to go next. She could head back to Duncans tent and ask him for advice, but she was hesistant to do that. As much as she had balked at the idea of leaving the Alienage to become a Warden, she did not much relish the idea of being turned away now for making such a mistake. After all where would she go? She couldn't go back and she knew nothing of Ferelden outside the Alienage so where could she head for? Besides, ever since Duncan had told Caden about her mothers almost conscription, the idea didn't seem quite so ludicrous after all. She even found herself looking forward to the idea. Just a little, mind.

Still it was enough that she did not feel like returning to Duncan just yet. She would circle the camp once more just in case she found this chap. Duncan had given her a rough description, so hopefully she would be able to recognise him from that. She headed west.

"You there, elf!" Caden froze at the words. "Yeah, you. What are you doing dressed like that?"

Caden turned to see a burly man striding over to her. The feelings of humiliation felt for many years in the Alienage caused by humans like this one came flooding back. With it came the fury and indignation she had always been taught to suppress. The soldiers around them hushed as they looked over at the commotion. Caden fixed cold eyes on the man who was nearly twice her height.

"How dare you address me so, human." She snapped, angrily. "Do you address every one of these soldiers in such a way or is this treatment reserved for your servants?"

The man stopped mid-stride and his face paled. He held up his hands in a gesture of forgiveness. "Oh, my apologies!" he said quickly. "I must have been mistaken."

"Yes, you must have." She snarled, not willing to forgive this error, thrilled by the fact that she was able to assert herself for once and to have this human apologise. "I would suggest you remember this the next time you speak to an elf with such disdain."

"I will," he muttered, before backing away. Caden bit back a smirk. She felt oddly more victorious then than she had done back at the palace in Denerim. The smirk died as the images from that night a week ago flooded back into her mind and she shuddered instead. She gritted her teeth: best not to think about it.

Caden swung around to leave and smacked straight into the breastplate of a tall soldier behind her. She threw out her hands as she glimpsed the armour right before impact and felt large hands clasp her arms to steady her. A blush shot over her skin as she realised that it was the second time that day that she had walked into a human—why did they have to be so tall and solid?

"Whoa, are you alright there?" the voice belonging to the body spoke.

Caden nodded and stepped back, eager to have his hands release her. "I'm fine...just didn't look where I was going." She explained hurriedly.

"I'm not surprised," the soldier said. "I saw the way you spoke to the quartermaster just now—I think I would have sped away myself."

The blush turned into two pink spots on Cadens cheeks as she flushed with resentment again. She turned her gaze upwards to glare into his face. "Oh, I suppose I should have held my tongue? Just allowed such wanton disregard for elves to go unchecked?"

The soldier frowned, confused. "No, I didn't mean that at all. I just meant that I would have wanted to leave after speaking to anyone like that—but that's just me. I'm not a big fan of confrontations, you see. I'm pretty uncomfortable right now, if truth be told, especially as I've just had a dressing down as well for, what was it? 'Sassing a mage', I think Duncan put it. Not my best moment..."

Now it was Cadens turn to frown. "Duncan?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know, tall man, dark beard, charges about all over the place gathering minions to do his bidden. Him."

Caden was at a loss for words. "I...he's the leader of the Wardens."

"In Ferelden, yes, that's what I said." He shrugged. "Or, you know, words to that effect."

"You are a very strange human." Caden said slowly. He laughed.

"You are not the first to tell me that." He stepped back and cocked his head at her. "We haven't met have we?"

"I haven't met many people here, besides Duncan and that rude individual just now." Caden said, as she began to realise who she was speaking with. "You're Alistair, aren't you?"

"Guilty." He replied. "You must be Duncan's new recruit."

"Yes," Caden said. There was a long pause, before she suddenly realised that he was waiting for her name. "I'm Caden." She said. "Sorry, I'm not used to humans wanting to know my name."

"Well met, Caden." Alistair said jovially. "Now that we've found each other, shall we head back to Duncan? No doubt he has some exciting task lined up for you. Test your mettle and whatnot."

They fell into step beside one another, Caden hurrying to match his long stride.

"So, you're from the Alienage in Denerim, I hear." Alistair said as they walked. "Duncan always said he wanted to recruit more elves...we don't have that many elves in the Grey Wardens. Nor women, for that matter so you're quite a rarity."

"Humans often underestimate elves," Caden said bitterly. "The only human men I have ever met were only after one thing and that _**wasn't**_ hiring us to fight in wars."

"Until now," Alistair added. Caden glanced at him in surprise. "No-one in the Wardens will treat you poorly. Once you become our sister we will protect you as one of our own. We're more like a family than a regiment."

Caden stopped. "I can look after myself, thank you very much. Duncan didn't save me from the clutches of some evil letch—I did that myself!" She whirled around and stormed off, throwing one final angry sentence over her shoulder towards the shocked looking Alistair. "And I have a family already. Or rather I did, until Duncan took me away from them."


	3. Into the Wilds

**Chapter Three**

**Into the Wilds**

He was being dreadfully nice to her.

It made her want to smack him.

Duncan had taken Alistair aside when they reached him and the two had spoken and ever since then he was on his very best behaviour, which seemed to include speaking only about the task in hand and not delving into her past. That part Caden approved of, but clearly Duncan had told Alistair all about her tragic wedding day and how it had brought her to Ostagar. It was not his story to tell and Caden resented the Warden for it. She had observed Duncan and Alistair on that first night and noted the way Alistair leapt to serve the older man. There was affection there, from both sides she saw. Obviously that meant Alistair was invited to share in Cadens life story, never mind her unvoiced objections to that.

For some reason (again Caden suspected that Alistair had been advised to treat her a little carefully) Alistair had happily allowed Caden to go to the aid of the kennel master who was busy treating a sick mabari and had even helped her find and pluck the flower she had been asked to try and seek out. He was giving her plenty of leeway to do things as she saw fit, not trying to pull rank as the only official Warden in their little troupe. Caden mostly ignored Daveth and Ser Jory; the former vacillated between lewd remarks and frightened comments and the latter just moaned about the chilly air and his wife back in Highever.

The place name gave her a jolt in her belly every time she heard of it, but she forced the feelings away. Caden didn't really understand why she had been so affected by Nelaros' death. It was not as if they had been in love—they had never even shared a kiss, the match having been arranged long distance as so often elven marriages were. No, it was more the dream of what could have been and the reality of what was that she mourned. Of course she felt for the boy who had tried to make a stand for her safety and honour when no-one else would and she felt responsible for his death.

"What's that?" Ser Jory pulled Caden out of her silent soul searching and she followed the length of his extended arm to see what he was pointing at. They were coming up to a bridge which was adorned with spikes on which were skewered human skulls. She narrowed her eyes and held up a hand to stop the men who were walking behind and beside her.

"I don't like this," Alistair murmured. "I can feel something nearby..."

Caden slowly crept on light feet towards the bridge. Then she stopped.

"I can see traps—it's an ambush." She had barely finished the sentence when genlocks suddenly appeared as if out of thin air surrounding the troupe. Before any of them had time to breathe, they attacked.

Caden crossed her twin blades before her as one swung his blade downwards and caught it before it struck her. She grunted loudly as she did the first thing she could think off—she lifted one foot, planted it on the genlocks chest and kicked. It flew backwards, and Caden leapt forward, not giving an inch. As it landed, she stopped beside it and dove her blades into his chest. He gurgled as he expired, but Caden was already spinning around to take in the lay of the land. The three men were still surrounded but they had regained ground and she could see it was only a matter of time before they bested their opponents. She looked back to the bridge and caught sight of a larger darkspawn fiend, wielding a stave from which was pouring some foul looking smoke, which was heading for Cadens companions. She did not like the look of this, so set off at a run, vaulting lightly over the first trap and landing beside the darkspawn. He noticed her and broke the first spell only to turn on her and began casting something new for her. She elbowed him in the mouth, thus cutting off his recitation, and then swung her blade. He instinctively held up his stave as a shield, which her swords cleaved in two, rending it useless. Before he could recover she thrust her blades into his gut and ended him.

Caden felt rather than saw the three men run past her scaling the bridge. "Wait, there are traps!" she shouted trying to stop them. Alistair skidded to a halt at once, Daveth saw what she saw and leapt over the trap, but Ser Jorys foot landed on a pressure pad causing the trap to snap shut on his calf. He yelled aloud in agony and dropped his sword, bringing more darkspawn running. Alistair turned to Caden. "Get him free." He ordered as he and Daveth started to engage in battle. Caden didn't think: she just dropped to her knees beside Ser Jory who was still screeching in pain. She laid down her weapons and clutched his leg above where the metal teeth were buried in his flesh.

"Try to hold still," she grunted as he reacted to the pain. His leg was quickly covered in blood and although she tried, Caden could not see his wound. Instead she dipped lower to inspect the traps spring mechanisms. It was a crudely made thing with the basic concept of a pressure plate releasing the jaws to clamp into a leg, which it had done in this case. It was clamped very tightly onto Ser Jorys calf, but there was a small sliver of space either side of his leg. Acting instinctively she grabbed Ser Jorys Greatsword and slid it into the space, before twisting the weapon in order to prise the teeth apart. The effort made her break out into a fresh sweat and her arms shook but inch by inch it was coming apart. She finally got the sword twisted so that the jaws were separated by the width of the blade, but it was not enough to free Ser Jorys leg. Caden risked a glance to Daveth and Alistair.

"Alistair!" She called out as he felled the last gunlock. He hurried over with Daveth in hot pursuit. "I need one of you to mirror what I have done on the other side. Once there is enough space, the other must pull Ser Jory free." He gave a long moan, but Daveth followed his orders, sliding his own blade into the now wider gap on the other side of Ser Jorys leg. He was faster than Caden and as he forced a greater gap, she was able to move her blade further down to create a gap wide enough that all of the teeth were out of Ser Jorys leg. "Now!" she cried.

Alistair grabbed Ser Jory under his armpits and hauled him upwards and away. They both toppled over onto their backs—Alistair somewhat cushioning Ser Jory who gave a loud howl as he fell. Caden and Daveth both pulled their blades away from the trap, that sprung closed again with a violent snap and then lay still.

Caden crawled over to where Alistair and Ser Jory lay prone, and touched Ser Jorys leg. "We need to get your armour off here." She instructed. Ser Jory rolled off Alistair who wriggled out from under Ser Jory and crept over to him while Daveth stood watch over them all, his eyes scouring the distance. Caden quickly began to work loose the buckles on Ser Jorys greaves, but they were slick with blood and her fingers slipped often. It took a good few minutes before she could slide the damaged metal off his leg. She then withdrew a knife from her belt and cut away the leather and then padded cotton between his flesh and his armour. She cut it away just below the knee and tore it off, discarding it to one side. His skin was ruddy but bright red where the teeth had punctured him and was bleeding heavily. The teeth of the trap had all been different sizes of small spikes, clearly hastily manufactured and so some wounds were less dire than others. Alistair handed Caden a wad of cotton which she pressed to the bite marks to staunch the blood flow, lifting his leg as she did so.

"I have bandages here in my pack." Alistair said, passing Caden the aforementioned items. She took them without a word, so focussed was she on the task at hand. When the blood slowed Alistair passed her some cloth that he had submerged briefly in the murky water that ran in a slow river alongside them. Caden bathed the wounds quickly, and then wrapped bandages tightly around the leg. Finally the poultice was complete. Ser Jory had even ceased his crying, but his face looked pale and wan.

Caden stood up and retrieved her swords from Daveth who had collected them for her.

Alistair stood also. "Can you stand?" he asked Ser Jory.

"I will try." Ser Jory replied, taking Alistairs outstretched hand and pulling himself up. He cried out again when he tried to put weight on the leg and the bandages became dotted with blood again. Caden sighed.

"You cannot carry on with that leg." She said bluntly. "You can't stand without support, let alone walk and you will only slow us down."

Ser Jory looked as though he wanted to argue, but could not find the words. He looked down at the ground.

"Well, we have enough darkspawn blood," Alistair said ruefully. "I suppose we can return to camp and someone else can retrieve the treaties."

Disappointment rushed through Caden. She was to fail the first task set to her as a potential Grey Warden? What in the Makers name was the point of her being dragged away from the only life she had known, only to fall at the first hurdle in her new life? It was not her fault that Ser Jory was injured. _**She**_ had seen the traps and _**she**_ had shouted a warning—a warning he had not heeded. Not her fault.

"No," she said firmly. Three pairs of eyes stared at her in confusion. "Daveth, you can take Ser Jory back to camp. It is a simple path due south east, and explain to Duncan what has occurred. Here," she handed him the flower. "Take that to the kennel master when you get there. Alistair and I will carry on as I am too short to support Ser Jory back and Alistair can sense the darkspawn."

Daveth looked as though he wanted to argue, but then he cast his gaze around the wilds. He had grown up on stories of witches within the marshlands and other terrible creatures let alone darkspawn. He was not sorry to get a chance to get out of there, and the elf and Alistair could take care of themselves. He nodded brusquely and he reached out for Ser Jory so that together they could limp off.

* * *

"Here," Caden turned as she heard Alistairs call. It was the first word either had spoken since their companions had departed. She followed the sound of the shout to find him hunched over a broken casket.

"This is where Duncan said the treaties would be," he said despondently. "But there is no sign of them."

Caden felt her heart sink a little. It seemed failure had found her again and she cursed internally. She crouched down beside Alistair and slipped off her leather gloves, to reach down to sift through the piles of splintered wood. As she did, the sun's rays poked through the murky, overcast sky for a moment and her wedding ring glimmered in the beam. It was just a flash but it was enough to prompt Alistair to speak. "Oh," he said gesturing without thinking to her finger. "I didn't think—" He stopped quickly.

Caden bristled and pulled her hand away, quickly yanking on her gloves. She decided to ignore his thoughtless comment, but he seemed driven to apologise.

"I'm sorry Caden," he said softly. "I just thought...I didn't realise you were married."

"I'm not." She said briskly. "My groom was murdered on our wedding day. I'm not even a widow, you see. I don't think they have a word for fiancées whose groom dies before the vows."

Alistair's eyes were full of sorrow and she hated him for it. Who was he to feel pain for her? "I am truly sorry." He said again. "Duncan told me the bare bones of what happened; that your fiancé was killed before your wedding, so when I saw the ring I just wondered if he was mistaken."

"No, he was not." Caden said. "He was there when it all happened. He loaned his sword to my friend and conscripted me when the guards wanted to arrest me, but none of that could save Nelaros." _**Or Shianni...**_

Caden stood up quickly turned from Alistair as her eyes pricked with tears. Now was not the time for weeping, she reasoned and she did not want Alistair to see her like that. For all she knew he would take that information back to Duncan and tell him he didn't think Caden was strong enough for the Wardens. It was best that she keep a check on her emotions. She walked around the ruin, half-heartedly searching for any trace of those treaties, but found nothing. "I suppose we ought to return to camp." She said.

She turned to see Alistair standing up. "I suppose we should." He agreed. As they made to leave however, a female voice called out.

"Leaving so soon?"

Caden turned and scanned the horizon for the speaker. When she appeared, Caden frowned. The speaker was a tall, dark woman with bright amber eyes who was dressed in what looked like scraps of many items of clothing sewn together to cover the bare minimum of flesh. She walked with a staff crafted from a dark coloured wood and seemed not dissimilar to the one that darkspawn had wielded before. Caden deduced therefore that this was a mage who was speaking to them, although she was confused; she had always thought mages lived in a tower somewhere.

Alistair leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice. "Careful, she looks Chasind...there may well be others about."

Caden didn't know what that meant, but she gathered that it wouldn't be a good thing. However she didn't feel afraid of the woman who was slowly walking towards them. She was making no move to attack and seemed curious rather than aggressive.

"I have watched you both for some time and wondered to myself what a soldier and an elf were doing disturbing ashes long since forgotten." She said in a languid drawl. "A romantic stroll in the Wilds perhaps?"

Caden said nothing, but noted out of the corner of her eye that Alistairs hand felt for the pommel of his sword. It did not go unnoticed by the women either.

"Have I frightened you, Ser?" she asked in a laughing tone. "Or touched a nerve?"

Caden stepped forward. "Well met, mage." She said, at a slight loss as to what to address her as. "We have come this far in order to find the documents that were once stored in this casket, however they appear to have been removed from this place. If you have any information as to their whereabouts we would be most grateful to hear it. My name is Caden, and this is Alistair."

The woman narrowed her eyes for a moment, but then smiled. "Now that **_is _**civility, and glad I am to see it here deep in the Wilds. You may call be Morrigan if it pleases you and I do in fact know where the items are at present."

"You!" Alistair said loudly. "You stole them didn't you? You're some sort of sneaky...witch thief!"

"Some much for being civil," Caden said rolling her eyes. "Please, Morrigan, forgive Alistair. He has received many head wounds today and it has somewhat addled his mind." Alistair opened his mouth to argue, but then shut it again and allowed Caden to take charge.

Morrigan laughed and the hairs on the back of Alistairs neck stood up on end. "You are wise, Alistair, to keep that foolish tongue from wagging when there are women talking sense." To Caden she said: "Come, both of you. I will take you to my mother who has been _**protecting**_ the documents from harm."

Caden quickly hurried to follow, with Alistair trudging behind. He had a very bad feeling about this that he could not shake.


	4. A Solemn Promise

**Chapter Four**

**A solemn promise**

Duncan did not wait happily for the return of Alistair and his charges. Alistair was a more than capable fighter who, in his six months as a Warden, had gotten his darkspawn related nightmares easily in check and used his so-called Warden-sense to great advantage. He knew the boy would come to no harm in the Wilds, but still he paced and fretted. Apart from a select few of the other Wardens who had known him well for decades, no-one would have been able to discern from his posture how he was worrying inside. Outwardly he was cool as ever.

He cast his mind to the recruits who were being accompanied by Alistair. He had caught Daveth attempting to pick his pocket in Denerim and admired the young man's verve and tenacity enough to recruit him. He had travelled to Highever for their annual tournaments to seek a possible recruit and found Ser Jory who was built like a bear and wielded a two-handed blade as though it were a light stick. The man had a wife at home with a child on the way, but he had been proud to be accepted into the fold of the Wardens on the back of his numerous victories. And then there was Caden, Adaia Tabris' only daughter who'd received something of a baptism of fire and blood in order to make it to the Wardens. Duncan visited the Alienage in Denerim on many occasions, but usually purely for the chance to meet up with Valendrian rather than to recruit the elves. He didn't doubt their potential, but the ones in Denerim in particular seemed to exist under a cloud of despair and their eyes showed little depth. Many of them stank of cheap hooch, brewed in their own homes so that the smell permeated their clothes and hair and skin. Duncan had little doubt that it had much to do with the Uriens' cruel treatment over those who dwelled in the Alienage, something that perhaps Caden had changed for the better, although at what cost to her own sanity?

He sighed. Truthfully he was loathe to bring Caden to the Wardens at this time. If not for the fact that there was a Blight looming (never mind what Cailan thought—he didn't have the ability to feel the swell of darkspawn pouring out from the Frostback Mountains) and if Caden hadn't been facing an execution, he might have been tempted to leave well enough alone. He expected her to survive the Joining, but her mental state was a worry to him. Maybe he shouldn't have taken Alistair aside to explain things to him, but he couldn't help but feel nervous about expecting her to take up so much responsibility and he wasn't about to let Alistair take a damaged individual into the Wilds without some idea of what she had been through and why she might be the way she was.

"Duncan!" Duncan snapped back to the present and turned to view the speaker. It was a messenger of Cailans.

"Yes?" he frowned. "What is it?"

"The king has received dire news." The elf spoke in a rushed tone. "News from Highever. The Teryn and his household have been slain—there are no survivors. Save for the son who came on ahead and is currently scouting the Wilds, none will be able to assist in the battle."

"That is dread news indeed." Duncan said in a troubled voice. "The whole household you say?"

"Yes Ser," the elf said. "Everyone in the Arls estate has been slaughtered."

Duncan excused the elf and his frown deepened. This was not good news.

* * *

"Daveth?" Duncan called out confused. The young cutpurse was walking towards him. "What are you doing back—where are the others?"

Daveth came to a halt before the Warden and fished in his pocket for the vials of blood they had collected in the Wilds. He handed them to Duncan before explaining. "I had to return, Ser," he said. "Ser Jory sustained a serious wound to the leg after stepping on a trap. He couldn't walk so we bandaged him up and he and I hobbled back to camp. He's over yonder being treated by healers."

"I have to deliver some grave news to him," Duncan said. "Walk with me and explain to me why Alistair and Caden have yet to return."

They began to head over to where the healers had set up their station. Daveth began to speak.

"After the good Ser got his leg chewed out, we debated the merits of returning home right then." He started. "We decided that we already had enough blood for whatever horrible purpose you need it for, and Alistair said someone else could be sent on after us to find those papers you wanted. However, that pretty blonde elf put forth the opinion that it would be foolish for them to return empty handed as they figured they were nearly at the right location, so they decided to stay. I had to get Ser Jory back regardless and having seen Alistair and the elf girl fight I don't feel too bad about leaving them. She's got a lovely face, but Maker she can't half wield those blades!"

Duncan listened silently, taken it all in. So Caden had insisted on remaining until the task was complete. He oughtn't to have been surprised after all she had not been satisfied merely going after Vaughan in order to sate her revenge; she had bathed the entire estate in blood after all. Perhaps he had underestimated her devotion. He was slightly taken aback that Alistair had not insisted on them returning, but then it was possible that Caden had refused to leave. Alistair wouldn't leave anyone behind to face fights alone after all. Duncan scratched at his beard. It was all very intriguing, but he would have to wait until the pair made their way back to camp before learning any more.

As they came to a stop beside Ser Jory and Duncan knelt beside his makeshift bed to deliver the unhappy news Duncan forced thoughts of Alistair and Caden from his mind. For the time being at least.

* * *

"Well she was as mad as a bucket of frogs." Alistair said cheerfully as soon as Morrigan was out of earshot and therefore unable to overhear his comments about her mother. Caden said nothing, but raised her eyebrows. She shifted her pack onto both shoulders and was glad to feel the hefty weight of the treaties inside there. Success had come to her at last and she was surprisingly pleased with the result. She even found herself looking forward to returning to Duncan with the news. "Well she was." Alistair went on as they started walking. "What was all that about stockings? I didn't want to think about her stockings. Or anything else for that matter."

"You talk a lot don't you?"

"Noticed, have you?" Alistair grinned unabashedly. "It's just something I do to pass the time. I like the freedom of speech. I spent such a large portion of my life cloistered away in the Chantry being told to be quiet all the live long day that it's a relief to be able to speak freely."

"Do you ever shut up?"

"Hmm, when I sleep, I suppose." He countered thoughtfully, noting the slightly teasing tone in her voice. "Mind you I have been told by those who've had the misfortune to share my tent that I have on occasion been partial to sleep talking."

Caden shook her head, unable to keep the small smirk off her face. He reminded her a little of Soris, if Soris had ever had the courage to speak with confidence. Soris was not known for doing _**anything**_ with assurance. The thought of Soris and of home came with the now familiar feeling of regret and pain, so she pushed it away and latched onto something Alistair had just said. "You were in the Chantry? Doing what, the dishes?"

Alistair laughed loudly and Caden couldn't help but enjoy the sound. It was easy to forget the sorrow her memories of home brought when that raucous sound filled her ears. "Well, we all took turns doing those. Although now that I think of it my turn always seemed to occur more often than everyone else's. Why do you ask? Do I not seem the holy type?"

"Well...not really, no." Caden admitted. Alistair chuckled again.

"You have me there." He agreed. "I believe in the Maker well enough, but a life of devotion and quiet contemplation was not really one for me. Boy was I ever glad when Duncan came and decided he could put my skills to good use!"

Caden chewed on her lip for a moment. These snippets of Alistair's life before the Wardens were oddly tempting—she found herself wanting to know more. In spite of her almost relaxed mood she was reluctant to get into a conversation with Alistair...especially one that might lead to awkward questions about her own upbringing and life before this. She didn't want to explain to someone unfamiliar with life in an Alienage about what went on behind its walls. Still, she couldn't resist.

"So, did you spend many years in the Chantry?"

"Since I was ten," Alistair said easily. "When I was old enough I began to train as a Templar."

"A mage-hunter?"

"Well, yes, although that's not _**all**_ that Templar's do." He said. "Do you know much about them?"

"Not really, no," Caden admitted ruefully. "I...I grew up in an Alienage so didn't see much beyond that."

"Templar's _**do**_ hunt down errant mages, or apostates," Alistair began to explain. "We're trained in skills to drain mana and disrupt spells."

"So, you use magic to hunt mages?" Caden asked slowly. Alistair grimaced.

"Don't say that out loud to any Templar...but you're half right." He said. "I don't have the ability to do magic, none of the Templar's do. We're not born with the arcane within us as mages are."

"Where does it come from?" Caden wanted to know. Her interest was most definitely piqued.

"It's a bit crude, really." Alistair said. "Have you heard of lyrium?"

"Um..."Caden searched her memory for some mention of it and came up with nothing.

"I didn't expect you to having had little cause for its use." Alistair said. "Mages use it to enhance their abilities and restore mana, but Templar's use it to give them the power of magic. The only problem is that it tends to have rather addictive properties and many knights become hooked on it."

"Hmm," Caden said darkly. "So it gives Templar's magical properties in order to hunt mages and it gets them addicted to this substance in order to keep them in check?"

Alistair glanced at her. She was remarkably shrewd and she had reached conclusions in mere moments that had taken him weeks to come to himself. Not for the first time he wondered what kind of life she was leaving behind to make her so calculating. Earlier, when Ser Jory had fretted about the reality of facing darkspawn, she had laughed and said she was looking forward to killing them. It had uneased him then and it uneased him now. The conversation petered out there and Alistair was grateful when the gates to Ostagar loomed out of the forest at them.

Caden wanted to find the kennel master straight away, but Alistair insisted on returning to Duncan. When Caden seemed unhappy with this proposal, he suggested splitting up so that he could get straight back to Duncan. She agreed and allowed him to take the backpack with the treaties.

Duncan breathed a sigh of relief when he caught sight of Alistair walking over to him, but that quickly became a renewed anxiety when he noticed the absence of Caden. "Where is Caden?" he asked with a voice laden with concern as Alistair came up to him.

"She has returned with me, but she had to make a detour to the kennel master." Alistair told him. "One of the mabari is sick and Caden volunteered to find a flower that might save him as we were going into the wilds anyway." He slid the pack off his shoulders. "We found the Warden documents. They had been removed from their hiding place by some apostate mages who were keeping them hidden."

"Excellent," Duncan said taking the treaties. "I fear we shall make use of these much sooner than we know." He looked up at the younger man. "I understand that it was Cadens idea to carry on for the treaties?"

Alistair hesitated. Was he being reprimanded somehow? And was it for not having pulled rank on Caden and brought them both back or for the fact that he should have been the one doggedly searching for the treaties? "Yes. I thought we should travel back together, but Caden didn't want to leave without having found their hiding place at the very least. She was quite insistent and to be honest, I didn't think she'd listen if I told her we had to come back. I don't think she really recognised my authority as the more senior Warden."

Alistair's voice trailed off as he spoke and his ears gained a pink tinge. It was not something he desired: power, influence. But to have it entirely ignored by someone he had barely met and who knew next to nothing about the Wardens or even basic life outside of her Alienage...it was not the greatest confidence boost.

Duncan sighed. "Alistair, I have told you some of what Caden went through on her wedding day, but I fear that there is much more pain in her past than what she witnessed that day. I tried to get her to open up about it on our travels, but she remained close mouthed, unwilling to talk of most things."

"We talked a little." Alistair said. "Mostly about Templar's and the Chantry: not things she is overly familiar with. I think she is curious about life in Ferelden that have been alien to her for so long. I even spoke to her a bit about her husband-to-be, although she clammed up quickly about that."

"I know it is a lot to ask Alistair," Duncan said placing both hands on his shoulders. "But I want to ask you to take Caden in hand somewhat. Just talk to her, try to get her to speak about what happened that day. I fear she is very fragile and I expect that she could use a friend right now. Can you be her friend?"

Alistair swallowed. "Of course, Duncan." He said. "I'll do my best. If she survives the Joining that is."

"Oh, I have a feeling she will." Duncan said calmly.

From her vantage point obscured behind a wooden dais, Caden bristled silently. She heard Duncan's request to Alistair and the dutiful knights solemn promise. _**Bastards**_, she thought. She was not a project, nor some damaged flower needing tending to; cradling from danger by the heavy hand of a man. Caden felt a strange stab of regret pierce her as she watched Alistair. She had just started to warm to the idea of his company. He was certainly odd and said stupid things every time he opened his mouth, but he was so very different from any other human man she had ever met...or so he had appeared. She saw now how very familiar he was to those she had left behind. What a disappointment.

She sighed and pulled herself together, marching over to where the two Wardens stood.

"Right then, shall we get this thing over with?"


	5. The Joining

**Chapter Five**

**The Joining**

_**Swallow deep. **_

_**Just the one gulp. Tastes like metal, like iron. Tingles all the way down. Settles in my stomach like wax. Warms me from the inside out. A second passes. Wait...the heat is building. My throat feels dry. Its hot...I'm hot! It's...it's hurting me. Oh, ow...ow...no wait! Its burning me, its burning my throat, my stomach, its making my blood boil, its burning to my skin. I'm on fire. I cant see. I'm falling. **_

"Catch her, Alistair, quickly."

"Is she...?"

"This is the telling moment."

"She's burning up..."

_**How can I fight darkspawn if I'm on fire? I need water...**_

_**I scream and scream. **_

_**It hurts too much, I can't bear it.**_

_**Andraste, save me...help me someone!**_

_**Mother...mother...help me. **_

"This can't be right, surely? Duncan, this isn't normal is it?"

"This is normal."

_**Sharp spikes in my head, over and over and over and over. Please save me from this, oh please. I'll do anything, just make it stop, make it stop! Take me, I don't care, take me, kill me, end this agony, oh please, please!**_

"Watch out."

"Ow!"

"Help me hold her limbs so she cannot come to any harm."

"Yes, never mind me or my eye that just got whacked..."

_**It's abating...is it? I don't know. Have my nerves been burned away...is there anything left of me? **_

_**It's so dark here but I can hear things all around me...voices whispering in a guttural tongue. I don't like this...**_

_**They're everywhere. All over. They creep around the edges and watch and wait and bide their time. I can feel...Him. I think it's a him. I know what he is. **_

_**He knows what I am.**_

"The fever is breaking."

"Is she one of us now?"

"Yes."

_**Wait...there are people here...shadows...I can feel them. I cannot feel myself but I can feel them. They're so few, but they stand between me and Him. Some are very far away and some are closer. They feel like...like home...like family. The pain is duller now and I can feel them instead.**_

_**The light is returning. With it comes warmth and safety. **_

_**Open your eyes.**_

"She's coming to,"

"I can see that Alistair."

Caden opened her eyes gasping heavily and blinked several times in the dim light, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Everything seemed brighter than it had been before she drank that blood. Her eyes were unaccustomed to it. She could still sense both darkness and goodness around her, but it was duller now, a more bearable feeling. She knew without asking that she would always feel both from now on. Her heart hammered away inside her chest—she felt as though she'd just ran for several leagues and she was out of breath. Her limbs felt heavy.

As her eyes came into focus she saw the faces of Duncan and Alistair gazing down at her. Instead of wanting to immediately push them away for invading her space, she felt oddly comforted by their presence.

"I'm alive, then?" she asked in a hoarse voice. Her hand flew to her throat.

"That'll be the screaming you were doing." Alistair said. He was sporting a mauve coloured bruise just beneath his left eye. He saw her looking and pointed at it. "That was you."

"You are alive Caden, and more besides," Duncan said proudly. "You have Joined us as a sister and you will now and forever be a Grey Warden."

Caden nodded, too full to speak. She made to stand and both men clasped her arms and hauled her to her feet. She felt surprisingly steady in spite of her ordeal. As she looked around she saw the bodies of both Ser Jory and Daveth lying on the ground. She shivered.

"Two more deaths. In my Joining only one of us died, but it was still horrible." Alistair said in a haunted voice. "I'm glad you made it. I...had never watched someone go through that before."

Caden met his gaze and saw that he had been affected by what he had watched. He was shaking almost as much as she was. Duncan had recovered much quicker, no doubt having presided over hundreds of Joinings and seen much death. She had watched him run his sword through Ser Jory after all. She shivered again and took an instinctive step closer to Alistair. She had an overwhelming urge to place her hand on his face and smooth out the worry she saw there. She focused very hard on keeping her hand still.

Caden was shocked by how drawn she suddenly felt to Alistair. In the back of her mind she recalled vaguely that she was angry with him, although she couldn't really remember why. She knew the reason for the anger, but not the reason _**why**_ she was angry. It wasn't as though they were great friends and he had betrayed her—he had merely agreed to an order put to him by his superior. These thoughts were making her head hurt and she shook herself to clear them.

"Now then," Duncan said matter-of-factly. "If you feel that you are up to it, you and I have been invited to attend a meeting with the king and Loghain to discuss the battle. Do you feel ready?"

"I...alright." Caden said, nodding.

"Very well. Alistair, please see to our fallen comrades here. I will speak to you afterwards."

Caden turned her head to look at Alistair as Duncan led them away. Alistair had his back to her, but as she watched she saw him raise his hands up and drop his face to meet them and rub his palms over his head.

* * *

"I understand congratulations are in order?" The king bore down on Caden as she followed just behind Duncan. Her instinct was to shrink away from the loud, boyish man, but she held firm. As she met his gaze she felt a small jolt in her stomach. He felt oddly familiar, yet she supposed that was purely down to the fact that he was only one of a very few faces she could recognise here in Ostagar.

"Thank you, your majesty." She said mutedly.

"How are the plans looking?" Duncan wanted to know. As Cailan began to speak to her senior, Caden came around them to peer at the table on which a map was laid out. A second man wearing heavy plate bent over the table adding to Cailans plans. _**He must be Loghain**_, Caden thought and observed him. He was a tall, well built man in spite of his years. His face was drawn into a frown and he spoke with a gruff tone. He was dark where Cailan was fair, severe where Cailan was charming and sensible where Cailan was quixotic. As she listened to the plans, she noted Cailans eagerness for glory and Loghains dire warnings. They couldn't have been more different if they tried and while Caden appreciated the light-heartedness of the king, she was pleased to hear that Loghain was the general.

"I will lead the charge just as soon as I see the lit beacon." Loghain instructed. Cailan paused, his handsome face mottling with a frown.

"Right...well, as its such an important job, I think we should send our best," Cailans gaze flickered to Duncan's impassive face and then to Caden. "Warden, I want you and Alistair to take this duty. It is not difficult but it is vital."

Caden chewed on her lip. "Surely if it is that simple I can do it myself?"

"No." Cailan snapped. "No, I'd rather Alistair went with you. Just in case."

"Alright." Caden acquiesced. _**In case I should fail, being naught but an elf?**_

"Very well then." Cailan said abruptly.

Loghain caught Cadens eye at this. She did not look away, but fixed her blue eyes onto his steely grey. There was something in there that she recognised in herself...was it pride snubbed? Well, she knew how that felt. He looked away first and went back to the maps while Cailan puffed up his chest and spoke loudly of the glory that awaited everyone when the battle started.

* * *

"What do you mean I won't be in the battle?" Alistair cried when the news reached his ears. Caden watched the younger man feeling very little pity for him, being stuck in exactly the same position as him. Duncan for his part responded calmly and firmly.

"The king has decided this," he said. "It is not our place to argue."

Caden saw Alistairs eyes flash in anger and he glared at Duncan. "This isn't fair. I want...Duncan I should be with you, fighting in the battle."

"Your job is every bit as important as any of us on the field." Duncan replied.

"I know what the king said," Caden ventured forth. "But I can do it on my own. I mean all I have to do is light a signal, that's all."

Duncan didn't answer her; instead he just looked at Alistair who sighed. "No, you won't know when to light it." Alistair moaned. "It'll have to be both of us."

Caden frowned at this—so now she wasn't clever enough to do this easy job? "All right, if you know when to light it then you do it. I'll fight with Duncan and the rest of the Wardens while you fiddle about with matches."

Alistair rounded on her. "Hey, it's not _**my**_ idea for us to sit out the fighting and it doesn't look like it's something we can change!"

"So stop bloody whining about it!" Caden shouted back. Duncan stepped up at this and placed a soothing hand on both of their shoulders.

"You are both correct, if a little hot-headed." He reasoned. "It is the kings will and therefore something that must happen and cannot be changed. Alistair and Caden I say this as your senior officer: you must make peace with each other. If I am to lead the Wardens onto the field of battle I need to know that the two of you are up to the task you have been set and that you will not only do it to the best of your ability but that you won't wind up killing each other beforehand. I need to know that you will _**both**_ watch after _**each other**_."

Both Alistair and Caden looked down, shamefaced at his earnest words.

"You're right," Alistair said softly. "I'm sorry Duncan. Just having a tantrum about not being able to fight with you all." Caden said nothing so Alistair sighed and held out his hand to her. "What do you say? Can we be partners?"

Caden stared at his pro-offered hand and made no move so he continued, his usual happy tone creeping into his voice. "I've never fought alongside a woman before. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two?"

She looked up, a wry smile on her lips. "We'll see if you can keep up." She clasped his hand and shook it briefly. Alistair allowed a small smile in return.

"Good." Duncan said, relief evident on his features. "Now I want you both to get some rest before the battle tomorrow. We fight at dawn."

"Duncan...may the Maker watch over you." Alistair said.

"May he watch over us all."


	6. The Burning Tower

**Chapter Six**

**The Burning Tower**

The morning came and as the sun rose slowly over Ostagar the horde advanced. The sky burned red before the sun reached above the treetops, but its rays could not pierce the pervading darkness the legions of vile creatures who marched on the fortress. The king and the Wardens stood on the front line waiting for the perfect moment of attack. First the arches rained down their arrows, felling many darkspawn, but these were soon replaced; the next lines simply walking over their fallen comrades. Next the mabari were loosed and they flew at the enemy with a ferocity that was mirrored in their masters. Finally the army of Ferelden let out a rippling battle cry and the fighting began.

High above the fighting ground, the two newest Wardens headed for the tower of Ishal wherein lay the beacon that was ready and waiting to be lit at the opportune moment.

"Come on," Alistair said as they reached the bridge. From this point they could see the initial clash of armies and hear the clatter of metal and the cries of anger and pain. "We have to get to the beacon." Caden set her mouth into a thin line trying to block out the distracting sounds and stench of death that floated up towards them.

She ran and Alistair followed. They didn't look down they just ran heedless of the rocks that were being hurled up at the bridge to counteract the ballista's firing heavy wooden spikes down below. One rock crashed into the wooden contraption sending metal joints and deadly splinters of wood everywhere. Caden threw herself to the ground instinctively and felt Alistair hit the ground beside her. She turned her head and saw him looking back. When the shower of debris ended, they scrambled to their feet. In front of them lay the body of a knight who was punctured with many splinters. Caden ran around him and tried to forget the look on his frozen face.

A fireball burst before her, enveloping a soldier in front of her who screeched in agony and she skidded to a halt, throwing up her hands to shield her face. The fire scorched her arms until Alistair grabbed her midriff and yanked her backwards, away from the flames. The smell of burning flesh hit her nostrils making Caden sob out loud. She turned and retched. _**Oh Andraste, I can't take this, someone get me out of here, I'm not a knight, I'm just a girl, help me, please!**_ Her mind was filled with desperate pleas. Alistair grabbed her arms and pulled her to her feet, bringing their faces close together.

"Caden, come on!" he shouted, his voice drowning out the voices in her head. "We have to reach the beacon!"

Caden nodded dumbly, swallowed her tears and they ran.

* * *

The ogre roared and Caden was enclosed in hot, damp breath that smelled of fresh blood. She turned her head and shut her eyes reflexively, but no sooner had it paused for breath did she begin running around it. It made to follow her but she was small and nimble and it was giant and lumbering. Suddenly ice crystals formed over its rock like skin as the mage hit it with a spell. Alistair leapt forward and using his shield as a blunt weapon he bashed the ogre about the head. It rocked backwards, but did not fall. The ice began to crack as the potency of the spell wore off and the beast burst out of the icy casing. The mage was busy muttering a new incantation, so Caden ran in front of the ogre again to draw on his attention. It bellowed again and as it raised its arms to pound down onto her, she jumped forward between its legs and rolled out from under them behind it. It turned sluggishly, confused by her quick stepping and once again Alistair threw his weight behind his shield to whack the ogre in the side. It stumbled again and threw back its arms to right itself against the wall, and Caden used this moment to take a running leap up at it. The mage finished the recitation and power exploded from his staff, encircling her blades in fiercely burning fire that felt cool to her. The ogre rested stunned against the wall and Caden dove for its chest, her enchanted blades finally digging through its skin as though it were made of butter. She found herself crouching on his body, her swords sunk into its chest up to the hilts and it cried out in pain. Not stopping to catch her breath, she pulled free one sword, tacky with ogre blood and swiped it across the width of its throat. More blood gushed forth from this wound and the ogre ceased to yell. She yanked out her other blade and jumped backwards off its chest where she collided backside first with Alistair. They both hit the ground hard and for a moment were both winded. Caden rolled off Alistair and swallowed in huge gulps of air, then coughed as she inhaled ogre blood with it.

"Sorry," she grunted as he gasped for breath himself.

"It's alright," he said, thinly. "My own fault for deciding you might need catching."

He got to his feet and offered her a hand, which she took. Her grip was slippery, but sure and he was able to haul her to her feet.

"The beacon is over here," Alistair said leading the way. "We've surely missed the signal, but we have to light it anyway. I don't want Duncan or Cailan to go without their back-up any longer."

"I'm soaked," Caden said regretfully gesturing to her blood drenched body as she dripped onto the stone floor. "Can you...?"

The mage hurried forward. "If I may?" Alistair stepped aside and the mage performed some quick finger work over the paraffin drenched wood and quickly the fire caught. The beacon took only a moment to gain intensity and the three stepped back.

"There, it is done." Alistair said with relief. Caden turned from the flames and cast her eyes around the room. The ogres body was slumped against the wall in a pool of blood and on the other side of the room was the knight who had accompanied them bravely. She went to him and lightly closed his eyes, sending out a thought of gratitude to him wherever he now was. She turned her head and saw Alistair watching. He briefly inclined his head in reverence to what she was doing and gave her a small smile. She found herself returning it without thinking.

Then the door flew open and in stormed a new garrison of darkspawn. Caden watched a slew of arrows fly towards the mage and Alistair and saw how they were both quickly punctured with several. The mage landed on his back, stone dead and Alistair dropped onto his knees before pitching onto his side. Caden leapt to her feet crying "NO!" and ran forward, wielding her blades, but even before she had crossed the room she felt the sharp pains of many arrowheads embedding in her flesh and within seconds she hit the ground and all was darkness.

* * *

She woke up briefly in terrible pain and felt as though she couldn't breathe. A great wind was all around her and she couldn't even open her eyes fully. She closed them again and fell into a blissful, pain free slumber.

* * *

"Are you awake yet?"

Caden blinked and tried to answer, but her throat was dry. "Do you need water?"

A bustle of noise and then a clay cup was pressed to her hands and helped to her lips. She drank the cool water gladly didn't stop drinking until the cup was empty. Then it was taken away and she felt a hand press to her forehead. "Well, your fever is abating. Can you open your eyes?"

With nothing else but the voice to go on, Caden tried to comply. She blinked several times, but found the light in the room to be satisfactorily dim and so easy for her sight to adjust to. A figure came into focus.

"Morrigan?"

"Tis I." Morrigan replied. "I am glad to hear that you have not forgotten. How do you feel?"

Caden ran through a mental check, moving her arms and legs in turn and twisting her neck. "A bit sore, but I'll live." She looked up at Morrigan. "I take it I have you to thank for that?"

"I and my mother," Morrigan said. "It was she who rescued you from the tower, but I stitched you back together. Your injuries were...quite extensive. I was not certain at all that you would survive."

"Thank you, Morrigan."Caden said.

"I...you are welcome." Morrigan said, looking away. She was clearly unaccustomed to receiving thanks. She wandered over to the stove and stirred something that smelled delicious.

Caden shifted off the bed and gingerly put weight onto her feet. She stood a little shakily, but nothing hurt. "Your things are over there." Morrigan said from position by the fire, not looking round at Caden.

Caden went to the pile of things on the chest beside the bed and slipped on her tan breeches, her shirt and her mothers boots. Her leather armour was there, too, but she did not put it on. As she dressed she noticed her fingers were bare—her wedding ring was missing. She searched quickly through the remaining items, but it was nowhere to be found. She did not really think that Morrigan or her mother would have stolen it as they lived in the middle of nowhere and both fed and clothed themselves using what the forest around them provided. They had no need to trade and therefore no need for a small trinket of gold. Sadly Caden surmised that the ring had likely been filched by the darkspawn who had overrun her in the tower or it had fallen in the journey to the hut.

As she thought of the tower, the image of Alistair falling to the ground, littered with arrows and she felt her throat hitch a little. Surely he could not have survived that...but then again, she was still breathing. Perhaps there was a small chance that he, too, had made it.

Caden turned around. "Morrigan...was anyone else saved from the tower?"

Morrigan gave her a sly look over her shoulder. "You are asking, I imagine, whether the dim witted, suspicious Warden is still living, yes?"

Caden just looked at her until Morrigan answered. "He is. Mother tended to him, which is why you were left to me. Truth be told, I think she expected you to die and wanted to give me someone to practice on."

Caden barely heard the rather worrying admission. "Where is he, please?"

"Outside, with mother."

* * *

"You...you're alive..." Caden found herself feeling shy in the light of Alistairs obvious relief at seeing her both well and up and about. "I thought you were dead for sure."

"Likewise." Caden replied. "I saw you fall and thought you were dead."

They stood facing each other and the empty space between them suddenly felt heavily laden with so many things. Caden felt quite overwhelmed so she just stood there looking into Alistairs face. His eyes were hooded and he had a rash of stubble covering his jaw. His whole body seemed angled to the floor. It was the first time she had seen him out of his armour and while he was still a tall very solid figure, his lack of plate seemed to diminish him slightly. He appeared less the hardened warrior and more the frightened little boy.

"Everyone is dead." He said in a voice filled with sorrow. His lower lip trembled, but he did not break. "Everyone. The Wardens, the soldiers, the king...Duncan." At this he gave a sob and clamped his mouth shut, his lip wobbling more quickly. Caden crossed through that heavy air and placed both her hands on his arms. His pain enveloped her and she felt her face crumple to match his.

"I'm so sorry," she said without thinking. "What happened?"

Alistair sniffed and suppressed his sobs, the tears still lingering treacherously at the corners of his eyes. "Apparently Loghain never led his charge. I'm told he quit the field. Left everyone to fight without his support." His face was getting flushed now and his voice biting. "He just left them to die."

Cadens mouth dropped open at the shock. She had gleaned from the meeting prior to the battle that Loghain had not been over the moon about the plan, but to just up and leave when battle was in full flow? To abandon his son-in-law, the nations monarch to die? It beggared belief.

"But the signal...?" she muttered dumbly.

"Didn't matter," Alistair said. "Loghain ordered his garrison to withdraw before they got anywhere near the field. I would guess they're halfway back to Denerim by now."

Caden realised she was still holding onto Alistairs arms, so she let go. Her mind was reeling at the news. "How long have we been here for?"

He shrugged. "Nearly a week. You've been asleep that whole time." He looked into her face and marvelled again that she was standing before him. "I was out for two days, but you didn't stir once in all that time. I sat with you a few times...I honestly thought you were dying and that I would be the last one left."

At this the realisation that all the Wardens of Ferelden were deceased, bar she and her companion sunk in. She shook her head in disbelief. It seemed so impossible. The last time she had been awake, Duncan had been giving a speech to the Wardens before the battle, then she and Alistair had peeled off to light the beacon. That was a week ago?

"What about the darkspawn horde?" she wanted to know.

"I don't know," Alistair admitted. "I expected they will keep heading north. There's a village due north from here, Lothering. They may be heading there."

"We should warn them," Caden said insistently. "Can we rally an army there to wait for the darkspawn? I don't suppose there's time for that, but we'll travel quicker than the army, right? We can hurry ahead and get the people out of there."

Alistair balked. "I...I don't know. I've just been waiting for you to wake up...or not. I hadn't thought past that."

Someone cleared their throat behind Caden and she turned to see Morrigan and her mother standing there.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but I understand this to mean that you two are to be leaving shortly?" she said wryly.

"I..." Caden said weakly. "I guess so. We have to, don't we?" she turned and glanced questioningly at Alistair. "After all if we're the only ones left?"

"That is what Grey Wardens do, is it not?" Morrigans mother said. "Fight battles against darkspawn?"

"By ourselves?" Alistair said incredulously. "Just Caden and I against the horde?"

"Is there no-one else you could call on?" she asked archly.

"Alistair, are there any allies you can think of?" Caden asked. "My life before the Wardens is restricted to the Alienage: the elves there are not fighters." She thought of Duncans words at that. How the elves of Denerims Alienages were an oppressed, downtrodden people. They didn't have the skills...they barely had the upper body strength to lift a dagger.

"Well, there's Arl Eamon." Alistair said slowly, building momentum as he spoke. "He wasn't at the battle after all, nor were his knights. I know him well; he is both a good man and Cailans uncle. We should head for Redcliffe."

"That seems as good place to start as any," Morrigan said, not sounding at all unhappy that they were planning to depart. "Such a shame you can't stay."

"Thank you again for your help, Morrigan." Caden said firmly. "And thank you...I'm sorry I'm not sure I caught your name?"

"That is because I did not give it. When you get to my age you realise that names are

pretty, but just one more thing for your memory to lose. You may call me Flemeth." Flemeth said.

"_**The**_ Flemeth?" Alistair said in awe. "So Daveth was right, you are a witch of the Wilds."

"Wait a moment," Caden said suddenly, realisation dawning. "Duncan sent us into the Wilds to retrieve treaties to draft armies to the Wardens cause! They'll help won't they? Of course, we'll have to head back to Ostagar first to find them...I just hope they were stored somewhere secure..." she trailed off thoughtfully, then caught Alistairs sheepish expression. "What?"

"I have the treaties," he said quickly. "Duncan asked me to look after them given that we were to avoid the battle. I don't know whether he was just trying to make me feel more important or whether he genuinely thought we could care for them better doing out task, but I have them in my pack. I just...I forgot about them until just now." He looked at the floor, ashamed. "I guess I was too preoccupied by what's happened."

Caden went to him and squeezed his hand. "It's understandable, Alistair," she said kindly. "The point is we have them in our possession and we therefore have a chance to raise an army. Both against the darkspawn and Loghain." Alistair looked up at her as she said the latter part and his face set into a determined expression.

"You're right."

"Well, this is rousing." Flemeth said jovially. "In that case I would suggest you leave this place via the north road and stop off at Lothering for supplies. From there you can take the road east or west depending on your plan."

The Wardens shared a look. "Shall we go now? What time is it?" Caden asked, squinting at the sky.

"It is still morning so you could set off now if you like," Flemeth said. "After lunch of course."

"Oh, thank you," Caden stammered over the sound of her stomach rumbling. The thought of food had seemingly woken her appetite.

"And when you go," Flemeth continued, "you will be taking my daughter with you."

"What?" Alistair burst out at the same time as Morrigan yelped: "Mother!"

Caden frowned. "Are you sure? I mean...wont you be worried about her?"

Flemeth laughed. "You'll be taking her off my hands, don't you worry! I am more worried about how you will fare without her assistance. She can be very useful in a pinch and it will no doubt give her the chance to practise her healing abilities some more." Flemeths face became serious and she leaned towards Caden lowering her voice to a solemn tone. "Do you understand, Warden, that I give you that I treasure above all things?"

"I do," Caden nodded. "She won't come to harm with us." In the back of her mind she fretted about having a third mouth to feed, a further person to worry about besides herself and Alistair. Alistair opened his mouth and then shut it again. Morrigan crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes and pouted sullenly.

"Good," Flemeth said clapping her wizened hands together with glee. "Everyone's contented then!"


	7. Pretty As A Painting

**Chapter Seven**

**Pretty As a Painting**

Lothering was yet another assault to Cadens senses, somewhat dulled now by the sight of war. Morrigan, true to her mother's word, had led the way safely through the wilds and had brought them to the first town on route to the Imperial Highway. Alistair had shown her the location on a map and she had been truly shocked to discover just how far from Denerim she was, in spite of having travelled to Ostagar with Duncan in the first place.

Duncan...

His name and presence lingered in a ghostly fashion around their camp, especially during the very brief, stilted conversations Caden had with Alistair. He had been eager enough to get underway after their planning session with Flemeth, but no sooner had they set off had he withdrawn into himself. He spoke only when spoken to, which was rarely by Caden and never by Morrigan. His one moment of brightness had come only once they emerged from the swamps onto the road. Both Wardens had felt that anxious tingling feeling of knowing there were darkspawn nearby and had hastily quietened their approach. Suddenly coming bounding towards them was a bloodied mabari, who had skidded to a halt before Caden, barked happily, then to stand between her and the small pocket of darkspawn that faced them. With his ferocity and Morrigans magic skills they had been quick to dispatch the fiends and that was when Alistair had come to life a little bit, explaining that the dog had likely imprinted on Caden and would follow her into battle and beyond. Caden had been secretly touched that the dog remembered her and her efforts to help heal him, but outwardly she had sighed and said she "supposed the hound could tag along".

Things had been relatively uneventful from then onwards. They had faced down one or two small groups of bandits, but no more dark creatures and finally they were in Lothering. A place where, it would seem, the desolate and abandoned went to await their deaths. It turned out that the Bann had been one of Loghains men and had led his troops north and left the town to fend for itself...which it was doing badly. The only form of leadership and protection came from the few Chantry men and women and the few Templar's. Naturally given the unprotected state of the place the vultures had swooped in and set up camp amidst the refugees, taking advantage where they could. Here Caden learned of the vast difference between Alistair and Morrigan; while he was morally appalled by the way the refugees were being treated, she believed they were being pragmatic and sensible. It was then that Caden realised that the task of uniting Ferelden under one banner would be nothing compared to trying to force Alistair and Morrigan to get along.

After one very bitter slanging match, in which Alistair had accused Morrigan of not knowing how to be friendly and she had quickly responded with what had become her go-to attack and remarked on how stupid she thought he was, Caden whirled on them.

"E-_**nough**_!" she shouted, loud enough to momentarily lull the conversations around them and cause her as yet unnamed mabari to cower. She took a deep breath as both of her travelling companions stared at her, jerked out of their fight by the sheer surprise of her tone. "That's enough from both of you. All I can hear is you two bicker and it's going to drive me mad. If either one of you starts another fight I will feed you to the nearest darkspawn!" She felt very presumptuous talking down to them in such a way and as soon as she had begun she wished she hadn't. As she ran her hands through her matted hair she noticed the swinging sign hanging above a nearby tavern. "Thank Andraste," she muttered heading forward. "I need a drink."

The inn was packed to the rafters with punters and soldiers alike. Caden even spotted a few Chantry sisters by the fireplace. She took in the surroundings and located the bar. She headed straight for it, her mabari at her heels.

"Well, well, well," a breastplate bearing Loghains crest stepped before her. She looked up into the face of the taller human man. "A Grey Warden? Didn't we spend all morning asking about an elf by this exact description?"

As Caden looked around, several more knights circled her. Their leader, he seemed to be, crossed his arms in front of his chest and sneered down at her. She sighed then decided to try to feign ignorance.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," she bluffed. "I am just a lone straggler from a garrison that was felled in Ostagar." As she spoke one of the sisters peeled off from her small group and wandered over.

"Really?" the leader scoffed. "I don't believe that for one second. You are a Grey Warden and thus a traitor to the king."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caden asked, too shocked to continue the pretence.

"The Grey Wardens abandoned the king and left him to die." He went on, his voice rising. "You're a threat to Ferelden!" The mabari growled low and threatening.

"_**Loghain**_ abandoned the king, not the Wardens!" Caden shouted. "And now he assumes the throne of his barely cold son-in-law like the callous bastard he is!"

"Liar!" The leader slapped her across the cheek. Before Caden could react the sister stepped bravely between them.

"Gentlemen please," she said in an accented voice. "Now is not the time for fighting."

"Step aside sister," the knight spat. "I will not see this elf walk out of this tavern alive and I will cut down anyone who chooses to stand in my way. Chantry or not."

"Looks like we will have to give them what they want," the sister murmured so only Caden could hear. "Are you ready?"

Caden was too surprised to argue and just nodded. At that moment the door opened and out of the corner of her eye Caden saw the forms of her companions entering. Using this as a distraction the knights unsheathed their weapons and advanced. Caden and the sister were ready however and both nimbly sidestepped, while the mabari barked and jumped at the leader, shredding at him with his claws. Caden saw a blade heading for her and parried without thinking. She heard Alistair cry her name, but couldn't look to see what he was doing—watching her back she hoped. She ducked under the arms of her assailant and as she spun around behind him, she thrust outwards with her blade, piercing his armour and nicking his side. He howled in pain and she twisted her blade until he dropped his. Then she kicked him off balance so that he fell face first to the ground. Now she could see the fighting—the bar patrons hurriedly heading up the stairs behind the bar and out of the way. Caden could see the sister whirling with two blades and spattering the blood of the foes who were foolish enough to assume a Chantry sister knew nothing of fighting. In spite of herself, Caden was awed by the sisters clear skill with her blades, not least because although she spilled her assailants blood, she merely dealt deep enough flesh wounds to stun them, rather than going in for the kill. The sheer beauty of her fighting form paled in comparison to that exact control she exuded over her blades. It was not something Caden had been taught, or rather not a part of her lessons she had cared to learn. Nor something she had much practise in so far.

Morrigan blasted the leader of the pack of knights with a jolt of lighting which shook him so that he stumbled and the mabari pounced, clamping his strong jaws around the knights sword arm causing him to drop his weapon.

"Please, no more," he yelped in pain. "I yield!"

The sister was the first to sheath her weapons. "Good, now that's over and we can all stop fighting."

"I'm not so sure I can accept his surrender, sister," Caden said darkly as she walked over. Alistair threw a look her way but she ignored him. "That was an unprovoked attack and if he lives he will run right back to Loghain to tell him we still live."

"No I wont!"the knight said quickly at the same time as the sister spoke again.

"Please, he has surrendered." She said beseechingly, her light blue eyes boring into Cadens with a compelling intensity on her face. "Shed no more blood this day."

Caden opened her mouth, but something in the sisters face halted her words. Perhaps she could learn a lesson from her about when to stay her blade.

"Very well," she said drawing herself up to address the knight. "You have this sister to thank for your life. I expect you to remember this the next time to decide to, what was it? 'Cut down anyone who stands in your way'."

"Yes, yes of course," he sputtered, unable to look at the sister. "Please, tell your hound to release me."

"Well, the thing is," Caden said. "I've only just met this dog, really, and I don't know his name and he might not want to let go."

"Please try," he pleaded. Caden couldn't help the thrill that ran through her at the sound of a shem begging her. She did stop the smile that played on her lips at least.

"Hound, if it pleases you release this shem." She said calmly. The mabari growled and ground its teeth along the man's arm, seeming to get some final gratification out of the knights howl of pain, the let go and went to stand before Caden. "Good boy."

The knight stood up shakily cradling his arm, his supporters rallying behind him. Caden took a deep breath. "Now I want you to run back to Loghain and deliver a message for me. Can you manage that?" He nodded. "Tell him...tell him the Wardens will be more difficult to eradicate than he thinks and he'll have to try much better than this. Tell him we know what really happened at Ostagar. Tell him to watch his back, do you hear me?" The knight nodded then swept out of the pub followed closely by his supporters.

Caden turned to Alistair. "That snake Loghain is apparently blaming the massacre at Ostagar on the Wardens. He is claiming we abandoned the king, instead of him."

Alistairs face drained of colour and then the blood rushed back to his skin as rage took over. "What? That bastard!"

Caden nodded. "I guess we'll have to take that into consideration when we plan our next move."

"Yes, it's likely we'll run into more of his supporters who believe those lies." Alistair mused out loud. "I can't believe he would do that—the Grey Wardens have only been allowed back into Ferelden for the past thirty years. We've re-built our reputation, but who knows who will believe us over him: the hero of the River Dane." Alistair looked mad enough to spit.

"Fortunately not everyone will believe him," the sister said stepping up to join the conversation that she had been obviously listening to.

"Yes, thank you for your intervention sister." Caden said. "You were a great help."

"I could not stand idly by." She said. "My name is Leliana, by the way."

"Caden," Caden smiled. "This is Alistair and Morrigan and...um, our dog."

"And you are Grey Wardens?"

Morrigan snorted. "I'm not."

"But you two are?" Leliana asked, ignoring Morrigans interruption. Caden decided it would be rather foolish to deny this fact when Leliana had heard Caden affirm this in her message to Loghain.

"Yes, Alistair and I are Grey Wardens." She said. "In fact we are the only two left since Ostagar."

"I knew it the moment I saw you," Leliana said, excitement creeping into her voice. "I saw you and realised you must be the woman who's description had been passed around Lothering of late. I knew you would come."

Caden frowned, puzzled, and shared a quizzical look with Alistair. He looked just as blank as she felt. "Did you?" she said not knowing what else to say.

"Yes, the Maker foretold it." Leliana said with conviction. "And he told me to accompany you."

There seemed to be a collective moment of realisation from Caden, Alistair and Morrigan and they all took in Lelianas earnest face with a variation of disbelief. Morrigan snorted again, while Caden tried to settle her features into something resembling politeness.

"Did he really?"

To her credit Leliana seemed to understand how bizarre it sounded and she sighed lightly. "i realise it sounds crazy. They tell us the Maker has left us after all, but I believe I had a vision from Him which was that a great darkness was coming and that He wanted me to help fight it. I'd really like to accompany you and help in any way I can. You've seen my skills in battle, so judge me on that. I am also adept at mixing poultices and tinctures, as well as fixing traps and lures. I am an excellent cook, if I do say so myself, and I have yet to discover a lock that I can't pick."

Caden couldn't help but smile at her eagerness. There was something so open and sunny about Leliana. Caden wanted to turn her down gently, but couldn't seem to find the words. Leliana had stepped in right when she was needed and helped best those men, and she had done it with great ease. She thought back to the fight—she had wondered if she could learn something from the woman after all. What better way to learn than by taking her along? Besides they were on an ally gathering mission...what was stopping her from starting with Leliana? And if she turned out to be the manically-laughing, princess stabbity-stab kind of odd they could deal with that later. "I am not going to refuse help when it is offered to me," Caden said finally. "Welcome along."

"I think your scull was cracked worse than I thought..." Morrigan muttered behind her as Alistair hurriedly turned a cry of bewilderment into a fake-cough. Joy flooded Lelianas face and Caden was momentarily stunned by how her face was instantly transformed by it. She was positively radiant with glee.

"Thank you so much." She said. "I promise I won't let you down."


	8. Choices

**Chapter Eight**

**Choices**

"You have already recruited a mangy dog and a Chantry sister for this supposedly secret mission," Morrigan pointed out forebodingly. "And now you wish to add a Qunari soldier who has admitted to murdering four or five farmers."

"Six," Sten amended.

Morrigan didn't even reply to this—she merely threw up her hands in despair.

"Don't forget our resident apostate," Alistair pointed out. "That's my personal favourite addition to our group."

"Do not call me apostate, Warden," Morrigan warned darkly. "I am a free witch who chooses not to allow the circle and Chantry to dictate my every move."

"Oh I see." Alistair said. "I would _**love**_ to be around when you explained that to the Revered Mother." She rolled her eyes.

"Be quiet you two," Caden said from her position sat atop the cage in which Sten was standing and determinedly staring straight ahead while Leliana tried to direct her picking the lock from below. "Leliana, this isn't working."

"Alistair, come here please?" Alistair obligingly went to Leliana. "Would you mind giving me a boost?"

"I'm sorry?" Alistair said, his ears going pink.

"A boost, please?" Leliana kept her face perfectly serious as she gestured up to where Caden was sitting. Alistair gritted his teeth and crouched, allowing Leliana to climb onto his back, her legs resting either side of his neck. He braced himself on the cage as he slowly straightened up. Now that Leliana was higher, she could observe Cadens efforts more closely and with her patient tutoring Caden succeeded in springing the lock open and thus freeing the Qunari man. Caden grinned feeling an immense thrill of satisfaction. Leliana had a moment to smile her praise at her new student before she slid down from Alistair, and thanked him for the lift with a chaste kiss on the cheek which made him blush even more. Caden tossed down the now defunct lock.

"You are free, Sten." The Qunari stepped out of the cage and took a deep breath as though the open-air cage had been constricting his chest. "My thanks." He said quietly.

Caden grabbed the cage and swung her legs down dropping to the ground. It was further than she had thought and although she bent her knees to take the impact, she still stumbled back and both she and Morrigan landed on their backsides on the grass. She cringed. "Ooh, sorry Morrigan."

She quickly got to her feet and offered her hand to Morrigan, who took it shooting daggers with her fierce gaze. Caden heard Alistair laugh heartily and couldn't help but smile at the sound; it was the first time she had heard it since Ostagar. Morrigan turned to glare at everyone then stalked off in the direction of the Imperial Highway.

"Are you sure you are Wardens?" Sten asked confused.

"We are," Caden nodded.

Sten harrumphed. "I remain unconvinced."

* * *

Caden stared into the flickering tongues of fire as they lapped at the heavy logs surrounded by damp rocks. "I don't understand why you're asking me to choose." She said in a low voice. It was almost dawn and Caden had been joined on her watch by Alistair.

He shrugged. "I have no idea where to head first. The treaties call on the dwarves, the Dalish and the mages. But it doesn't come with a rule of thumb as to which to head to first."

"That doesn't tell me why you expect me to know where to go," Caden grumbled. "I've lived my whole life in the Alienage at Denerim. I had never stepped outside the gates until Duncan recruited me."

She heard Alistairs breath catch as she spoke his mentors name aloud and without looking at him she laid a comforting hand on his arm. He surprised her by placing his own hand over hers and holding it tightly. Now she did look at him. His eyes were moist as he watched the fire.

"I'm sorry Alistair," Caden said. "I shouldn't have mentioned Duncan."

"No, it's alright," Alistair said slowly. "I can't let myself mourn forever. I can't just leave you to do this alone. He...he would have expected better of me and I intend to make him proud."

Caden smiled sadly at him. "I think you already did." She said softly and at that Alistair looked at her. They sat in silence for a moment before Caden sighed and turned her gaze back to the fire. "We still haven't decided where we should head."

"I reckon Arl Eamon is our best bet," Alistair said. "I spent time at Redcliffe when I was a little boy and got to know the Arl well. He is good and fair and he was Cailans uncle. His knights had not departed for Ostagar so he has a full army. We should head there."

"I guess that makes sense," Caden said thoughtfully. "Truthfully I want to return to Denerim. I want to go back to the Alienage. I left things badly there and I want to make sure my family are alright." As she spoke she rubbed her empty left ring finger with her opposite hand. Alistair watched her, then spoke.

"That reminds me," he stood up and went over to his pack, rummaged around in it and returned. "I kept this for you." He held out his hand and there on his palm lay her wedding ring. For the longest time Caden just stared at it, gleaming in the firelight.

"Why did you take it?" she asked, making no move to retrieve it from him.

"I don't know," he said. "It was removed with the rest of your things when Morrigan was treating you. I didn't want it to get lost, I guess."

Caden took the ring from him. It felt suddenly so heavy as she slowly slid it onto her finger.

"Can I ask..." Alistair started. "I mean, you don't have to tell me, but I can't help but wonder. Were you widowed by the events of your wedding day? Had you completed the ceremony?"

Cadens lips drew back into a snarl, although this was caused by the memory rather than Alistairs words. "No. I was betrothed, but Vaughan arrived right at the start of the ceremony. My fiancé was slain by his men trying to save me and my friends. I don't wear the ring to honour the vows we never got to make, I wear it in memory of what was taken that day: for Nelaros and Shianni."

Alistair shifted his position on the ground. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Caden shrugged, looking down at the ground, watching the firelight flicker. "I only met Nelaros that day. We're big on arranged marriages within Alienages. I was told he'd be a good match." She gave a soft, sad chuckle. "I guess he was. He was the only one who demanded that something be done about the kidnapping, I was told. I don't know, maybe elves are treated better in Highever or something, but he couldn't just stand by and let us be...be raped." She looked at Alistair who was watching her silently, with sympathy writ across his face. "It wasn't Vaughans first visit to us, not by a long shot. But nobody had ever stood up to him before. Not until Shianni decked him with that bottle." Caden sighed, looking away again. "Maybe he wouldn't have been quite as cruel as he was if I'd kept my mouth shut."

"You don't know that." Alistair offered quietly.

"I know." Caden agreed. "But you can't help but wonder 'what if', can you?"

Alistair nodded wearily. "True. I can't help but wonder if I'd been fighting at Duncans side, would he have lived?"

Caden looked at the man sitting beside her; his stoic expression belied the sorrow in his voice. "I don't think it would have helped him, Alistair."

"Probably not," Alistair said giving her a brisk smile. "Anyway, we were talking about you."

Caden frowned slightly. Yes, they had been talking about her right up until Alistair had brought Duncan up again. She bristled at the idea that Alistair seemingly got to choose when it was acceptable to divulge his own feelings, yet hers were clearly up for discussion at any given moment. She deliberately pushed Nelaros from her mind and switched the subject back onto their mammoth task.

"So Redcliffe then?" she said forcing good cheer into her tone of voice. "To this Arl Eamon? I'm on board with that. Do you know the way?"

"Oh yes," Alistair said. "I've marked a route on the map. We head North-West along the highway and if we set off within the hour we should reach it within a week. Are you sure you agree with my proposal, though?"

"Well, like I say I have no knowledge of life beyond Denerim." Caden said, getting annoyed by Alistair's reluctance to make the damn decision without her approval. "Truthfully I want to go back there. I want to see my father and Soris and see how Shianni is. I left so suddenly I barely got chance to say goodbye and I did not leave under pleasant circumstances. Still it was either leave everything I'd ever known to join some order I'd never heard of or await certain execution in the dungeons of Arl Uriens estate." She snorted bitterly. "Some choice."

"You know that we can't go back there, don't you?" Alistair said. "Certainly not right away."

Caden turned her head sharply to glare at him. "Yes, thank you, I did know that. I have already worked out for myself that Loghain will have set up camp there and as such we ought not to go charging in there. That doesn't stop me from wishing I could go home!"

Alistair sighed. "That isn't your home anymore." He said firmly. "Not while we have a Blight on our hands. Grey Wardens don't have real homes once they join. Grey Wardens—"

"Don't you _**dare**_ say _**anything**_ about family," Caden snapped, getting to her feet in anger. "I've already told you that I have a family and they are waiting for me at my home. I don't care what rules you chose to live by under Duncan, but they don't apply anymore. The Grey Wardens are now just you and I and I'll be damned if I will call you my family just because we're the last ones left."

"You're impossible!" Alistair shouted, startling her. He stood up to face her. "Don't you realise that the wonderful 'home' you keep talking about as a place where you were treated like an animal, where people used you as they pleased? Or that the family you are so pre-occupied with apparently left you in the Arls estate to be—" Caden slapped him. His voice cut off sharply as her hand collided with his cheek and the noise resounded around the camp. Their companions were stirring now; the mabari edged closer, clearly unsure what to do. Morrigan observed from her position outside the main camp with a strange smile on her face.

Caden paid them no heed. She was too furious even to speak. Alistair, to his credit, looked shame faced.

"Caden, I'm sorry." He said. "I should not have spoken that way about your family. It's just that...this is hard for me. The Grey Wardens were my family and now they're all gone, including the one man who ever...saw me for who I truly was. And I just...I can't do this on my own. I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I need to know we're in this together."

Caden was at odds. On the one hand she had adrenaline and righteous indignation flowing though her veins and she wanted a fight. On the other, the rational part of her wanted to accept his apology and that heated words had been said and she wanted to back down. His eyes implored her to take the latter option.

"Of course we are Alistair." She said finally. "I will fight at your side to do what we can to end this Blight. We have to stick together as Grey Wardens." She raised her gaze to look him right in the eye. "But sooner or later I'm going back to Denerim. Whatever I become I will not turn my back on my father, my cousin or my friends. I owe them more than that."

Alistair gave a curt nod and Caden turned to their companions, all of whom had now come closer, and addressed them. "Given that everyone is awake now, I suggest we pack up camp and begin the march to Redcliffe."


	9. Small Steps

**Chapter Nine**

**Small Steps**

They were back to being utterly pleasant to one another. It was a typical case of two steps forward and then three steps back. Caden couldn't help but wonder as they slowly began the walk up the hill that led to the village of Redcliffe, whether they would ever feel comfortable in each other's presence.

The past few days had been hard. They hadn't spoken again after their argument until they had next made camp, and even then their exchanges had been limited to "do you want some stew?" and "shall I take first watch?" Hardly the stuff legends were made of. That was where Leliana had come into herself. Caden discovered that prior to her life as a cloistered sister, Leliana had been a bard and one who had been thrilled to regale the company with tales from Orlais to pass the time. Caden had surprised herself by getting entranced by these stories. She had even mentioned to Leliana that she had once made up an elven warrior queen for some children back at the Alienage after they had complained that there were no famous elves. Her tale had been bare bones and she had felt foolish for even mentioning it, yet later that night Leliana had developed the few details into a glorious story or love, chivalry, derring-do and it even had a happy ending. Caden had been so engrossed that she had almost believed this elf queen had existed, until she remembered that it was her fancy that created the queen. She made Leliana promise to tell the story to the children in the Alienage if they got time and naturally the story-teller obliged. Then Alistair had piped up then that there _**had **_actually once upon a time in the annals of history been a famous elf. This had been news to Caden, so she listened eagerly as he explained about Garahel, the elven Grey Warden who had defeated the Fourth Blight killed the Archdemon, and was slain in doing so. He told her about the fortress at Weisshaupt, which was to all intents and purposes, the Grey Warden headquarters and where Garahel lay entombed, a hero. That had not been a bad evening and Alistair and Caden had gone to sleep on good terms (in spite of a spiteful voice in Cadens mind telling her that he was only telling the story to ramp up the point about Grey Wardens being so fantastic and remind her how lucky she was to be counted in this 'family').

But, oh, that night...

Alistair had mentioned dreams right after she had woken up from her Joining, but nothing had prepared Caden for what she saw. An enormous, heavily armoured dragon breathing something stronger than fire and roaring to a horde of darkspawn. It was underground somewhere and the sounds reverberated around the stone walls, rife with the stench of sulphur. But the worst part was the sound the darkspawn made. They were screaming, jeering and cheering and whooping. There were such vast numbers that their voices bled into one another's so that not one voice stood out. The collective noise of them sounded like a million flies buzzing and was hellish to hear. And above that cacophony of brutal, guttural yelling was the Archdemon.

Caden had woken with a start to find herself bathed in cold sweat and she shivered. Alistair had been at her tent in an instant.

"Bad dreams?" he'd asked without a single note of surprise.

Caden had just shivered some more in her damp nightclothes until he'd found a blanket to wrap around her. It had taken her a while to pull herself to the present and out of the dream, although the terrifying feeling of being watched lingered on. Eventually she'd nodded.

"We all had them," Alistair said. "Just one of the many perks of being a Warden. After a while you should be able to tune them out. I've been told they're worse if you Join during a Blight...sorry about that."

"It was horrible," Caden muttered. "The Archdemon was there, 'talking' to its troops. And they were so many."

"I know," Alistair said quietly. "We're massively outnumbered."

That had effectively ended their brief conversation and soon Alistair had removed himself from her tent again.

That had been only a few days hence and now they were finally a stone's throw from Redcliffe. Caden was nervous about meeting the Arl; in part because she was anxious about any more of Loghains blind followers lying in wait for them and in part because Alistair had let it slip the day before that far from just knowing the Arl from childhood, the man had been the one to raise him. Well, until he was sent to the Chantry. It had certainly been an eye opener.

The sound of a waterfall washed over them and the bridge to the village loomed into view. Suddenly Alistair was beside her.

"Look, before we go any further...can we talk?" he asked, his voice stammering. "Just the two of us?"

Caden frowned but let him lead her towards the waterfall which would effectively drown out their words.

Alistair was a picture of fretfulness. He wrung his hands together and Caden could actually see a sheen of sweat on his upper lip. "Are you quite alright?" she asked.

He took a deep breath. "Remember I told you that the Arl raised me because I was a bastard?"

Caden nodded. "You said you didn't know who your parents were. And you also said," a picture began to form in her mind, "that the Arlessa was the one who wanted to send you away. Is the Arl your father?"

Alistair laughed nervously. "No, he definitely is not. My father is dead, after all."

"But you know who he was?" Caden asked. He nodded. "Am I going to meet some relative of yours in Redcliffe?" He shook his head. "Well, then it's really none of my business and I'm sure it can wait."

Alistairs mouth dropped open a little bit. "You don't want to know?"

Caden shrugged. "I don't see a need for me to know. Is it important?"

Alistairs shoulders slumped. "No. You're right, it's not important at all. I just thought...but, never mind."

Caden nodded to him and then rejoined the group heading for the bridge. She had felt far too uncomfortable to talk to some man she barely knew about his parentage. It was largely irrelevant as Cadens knowledge of noblemen of Ferelden (dead or alive) was limited to the Arl of Denerim and his damned son. No doubt Alistair had forgotten again that her experience of the world was incredibly narrow. She sighed at the thought of her embarrassing ignorance. Besides, she thought with a jolt, he kept harping on about the family of Wardens. If that was his view of family then she had no desire to explore where he came from.

Caden looked over at Alistair who was walking as if in a daze, clearly bewildered by her lack of caring about what he had to say and she felt a small stab of guilt. She turned away crossly. She could really have used a distraction.

* * *

It was later that night as Caden sliced her blades through rotting, undead flesh, thus releasing the awful stench of decay into the air, that she remembered her wish and cursed her own thoughtlessness.

Her fears of Loghains henchmen lying in wait in Redcliffe were unfounded. Rather what they discovered was yet another village stricken by the Blight, however unlike Lothering its inhabitants were (mostly) rallying to stand together against the same foe which Caden and her companions now fought. They had met with the charming (smarmy, Caden would have called it) Bann Teagan who in spite of his wandering eyes seemed to be a good man. He was only a few years older than Alistair and clearly remembered him when Alistair prompted him (something about being covered in mud, Caden recalled) and had been thrilled to see him. However when it came to requesting an audience with the Arl himself they had been disappointed. The Arl, it transpired, was sick although how sick no-one knew as they could not get to the castle. Then the story poured out about how since Arl Eamon was taken sick each night had been something nightmarish, with skeletal corpses attacking the village. The Bann and the mayor tried his best to muster the troops, but they were not seasoned fighters and many villagers declined to fight, favouring the "hide and wait it out" approach.

Once Caden heard that she had immediately set about informing those who could fight, but wouldn't exactly what she thought of their pitiful cowardice. The Blight was coming and anyone who thought they could sit that out and hope for the best was seriously misguided. And that was how Caden came to be surrounded by not only her companions, the mayor and his militia (newly kitted out with the armour and weapons hastily but assuredly whipped up by the resident smithy), but also an elf sent to spy on the castle, the lecherous bar keep Lloyd and a dwarf by the name of Dwyn who fought as if he had the strength of ten men. Caden saw Lloyd fall, but the others she had recruited fared much better. It sickened her to think of the men who had died prior to this night because of the stubbornness of these few.

Morrigan had been perfecting a new variation of her frost spell and Caden saw to the witchs obvious delight, that she had succeeded when she blasted a line of the undead with a spell that froze them all solid. This allowed Alistair to use his shield to topple the creatures so that they smashed and splintered when they hit the ground. Leliana had picked up a bow and a quiver of arrows from one of the militia and was showing an adept skill at thinning the numbers that attacked from the direction of the lake from her vantage point atop the roof of the blacksmiths. Sten wielded a second-hand greatsword which he swung in wide arcs, cleaving any undead that strayed into his path in two. And finally the mabari (that Alistair had christened Barkspawn and which had seemed to stick, largely because Caden had no imagination for dogs names) was a fierce opponent that not one of the undead could best. Caden was grimly satisfied by her small team of fighters and as dawn stole over the horizon the undead abated until the very last one was ended by Caden herself. She stood in the middle of Redcliffe, surrounded by wounded, yet triumphant villagers and now still corpses and regarded the place. It was still and silent. They had won.

A great cheer came up from the militia and the Chantry doors opened to allow the women and children and those too old or feeble to fight out into the pale sunlight. Teagan appeared and swept Caden up into an embrace before she could stop him. "The Maker blessed us when He sent you our way!" he enthused. Caden blushed and caught Alistairs eye. His raised eyebrow made her duck her head and look away. Sten helped Leliana down from her rooftop location and everyone assembled before the Chantry to hear Teagan praise the villagers and spend a moment on those who had fallen. Once that was over Teagan sought Caden and Alistair out and requested a brief audience with them by the windmill overlooking the village once they were ready.

* * *

"Alistair?" Alistair turned towards the soft sound of Cadens voice. She had come up beside him and looked uncharacteristically hesitant. He nodded to prompt her to continue. "I'm sorry if I was sharp with you yesterday afternoon." She said, chewing on her lip. "I didn't mean to imply that what you had to say wasn't important."

Alistair was surprised to hear this from her, given her disinterest before. "It doesn't matter." He said. "Truly, it wasn't important."

"No, it does matter." Caden said firmly, finally looking up at him as they walked up the hill. "If you want to tell me about your father then I will gladly listen. You were right when you said that we're in this thing together and as such I should be more open to talking with you. I'm just not used to it."

"Used to what? Being friendly?" Alistair said in a teasing voice, hoping that he had not misjudged the moment to joke. Caden frowned at this in shock, but then she visibly relaxed as she realised his playful tone.

"No," she said. "I have friends, thank you. I just have never had a human friend before." She couldn't hold his gaze now and she turned her head forwards instead.

"I see," Alastair said. "Are we friends now? I mean, are you going to be friendly with me?"

Caden took a deep breath. "I'll do my best," she said giving him a sideways glance.

"Well, then, that's all I can really hope for isn't it?" Alistair said smiling warmly. "I'm very honoured to be considered your friend."

"Now you're teasing me again." Caden said.

"No, I'm being serious for once." Alistair said, wiping the smile from his face to prove it. "If you've never had a human friend and I am to be the first then I am truly very honoured." He stopped for a moment and Caden followed suit, looking at him quizzically. "Duncan spoke to me about you and about your...well, about how you came to join the Wardens. I felt uncomfortable knowing what I know about you when you know so little about me. It didn't seem fair."

Caden nodded, waiting to feel the righteous anger bubble up as it did every time she remembered this fact, but to her surprise it did not. "I know." She said instead. "I overheard Duncan asking you to look after me, like some broken creature or some youngling separated from it mother. I took great offence to it, which is probably why I've been so horrid to you."

"He didn't do it for those reasons," Alistair said hurriedly. "He only told me what he told me because he was concerned for you. And because he cared, too. I know it seems strange given that you've only been a Warden for a short time, but as I've said, we look after each other."

"I know that now." Caden admitted. "I was angry at him for telling you though. It was, it _**is **_still so raw and it was my story to tell to whomever I chose and when I felt ready. But there it is, you already know and there's nothing I can do about it. I suppose what I'm saying is I'm ready to let go of that anger. It wasn't your fault and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Alistair smiled again. "Thank you. In return I promise to be a little more sensitive. It's easy for me to forget that you have a family you left behind as I never really felt at home until I joined the Wardens. I guess in a way that made me lucky."

"I guess," Caden muttered. "Any road, we ought to get to Teagan before he wonders what we're doing that is taking so long." They resumed walking. Alistair felt pleased that the question of his father seemed to have slipped Cadens mind during their conversation. In spite of his eagerness to befriend the elf and gain her trust, he felt quite happy to put that confession back for another time. He didn't know what she would think when she knew who he really was, but he was in no hurry to find out. Their newborn friendship was a fragile thing and he didn't want to rock it any time soon.


	10. Plan B

_[sorry, had to resubmit this chapter when I re-read it this morning and realised I'd written 1 day around the lake, when it should have been across the lake. Le sigh...anyway, will ensure I don't proof read after midnight again! Aaaaaand, back to the story! ;) ]_

**_Chapter Ten_**

**Plan B**

"So, what you're proposing as our plan is for you to head back to the castle with the Arlessa," Caden summarised slowly. "And for us to follow on behind you? Even though by the time we get to you it could already be too late and you could all be dead? That's _**really**_ your plan?"

Teagan nodded sharply, like a bird. His body was full of nervous tension. "Yes. It's the best we can do at this time."

Caden frowned and turned to Alistair. "What do you think?"

"I think...Teagan is right." Alistair said heavily. "What choice do we have?" He added, shrugging. Teagan turned back to Caden and fixed beseeching eyes on her. She rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she growled. "I'm not happy about it, but I guess we can't argue about this forever. Don't tell the Arlessa." She added, lowering her voice. "I don't trust her."

"Her husband and son are trapped in the castle," Teagan reminded her. "She has no reason to lie to us."

Caden didn't even reply to this, she merely gave Teagan a look which clearly said she thought he was being naive. Teagan let out his breath in one great whoosh. "Alright, I will see you shortly, I'm sure." With that he turned away from the Wardens and followed Isolde and her accompanying knight back up to the castle.

Caden looked at Alistair. "So, trap?"

"Trap." Caden agreed.

* * *

Caden, Alistair, Morrigan and Leliana headed deeper into the castle. Caden and Alistair had decided against bringing Barkspawn and Sten with them in an effort to keep their rescue party as stealthy as possibly. Barkspawn had a quick bark and was rather overly enthusiastic, while Sten was just large and noisy and hardly a sneaky sort of fellow. He had not been surprised by Caden requesting him to wait in the village for them. He quite obviously thought their method of getting into the castle was foolish and Caden bit her lip to stop from agreeing with him. However now that they were inside the grounds she had to admit that it was an easier way of getting where they needed to be than by storming the castle.

They were walking through a room filled with cells and cages (and Alistair was musing about the time when he had spent a full day in a cage, for fun, when he was a lad) when they heard sounds of a scuffle and someone calling for help.

The broke into a collective run and headed for the noises, to find a few of the skeletal creatures batting at a cell door. There were only three and they were distracted so it was easy for the small team to dispatch them. Then Caden went to the cell and peered inside.

A dishevelled, brown haired man wearing a robe approached her. "Oh, thank the Maker you came along when you did!" he gazed out at Caden. "Wait, you're not the Arls guards?"

"That obvious, huh?" Caden said drily. "Who are you and what are you doing in that cell?"

He took a deep breath. "My name is Jowan. I'm a mage from the circle, who the Arlessa hired for help with her son."

"Wait, Connor? A mage?" Alistair said in surprise. "Really?"

"He had started to show signs of magic and the Arlessa contacted me to tutor him." Jowan explained.

"I'm confused, don't mages usually go to the Circle for training?" Caden asked.

Morrigan snorted. "To be herded away out of sight you mean."

Jowan nodded at her words looking equally awed and nervous as he realised that she had to be an apostate mage herself. "Yes they do."

"Why did the Arlessa hire you then?" Caden asked. Jowan looked shifty.

"Well, she wanted to keep Connors newfound talents a secret. I guess she didn't want him to be sent away."

"But then why are you in this cell? I'm guessing not for your personal safety?" Jowan chuckled with any mirth.

"No, it's fair to say not." He said darkly. He looked at Caden and seemed to be considering something. "Look, what I'm about to tell you is not very...well, it won't paint me in a very good light."

Caden shifted where she stood and crossed her arms. "I'm listening."

"Right, well, the Arlessa thinks I have something to do with the monsters in the castle," he said, "She thinks I tore a hole in the Fade, but I swear I didn't."

"But...?" Caden prompted guessing that there was more. Jowan hesitated looking directly into her face.

"But I did poison the Arl." He said in a voice which got gradually quieter as he spoke.

"What?" Alistair cried out. Caden put out her hand to signal him to be quiet for the moment.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, calmly.

"I was hired to do so," Jowan said quickly. "I didn't even know Arl Eamon; I've lived my whole life in the tower, so I had no idea who the Arl was. I was hired on behalf of Teryn Loghain. I was told that the Arl was a threat to Ferelden. I didn't know if that was true, but I believed what I was told. I just wanted to do something right for a change." He dropped his gaze, mournfully. "And now I've done even worse."

Alistair was still fuming at the news of this mage poisoning the Arl, but Caden heard something remorseful in his voice.

"Why do I get the impression that there's another facet to this story?" Caden asked shrewdly.

Jowan looked up from under his thick eyelashes. He looked very young and very small. "I escaped from the tower and destroyed my phylactery—a vial of my blood the Templars would use to track me down. I'm...I'm a blood mage, you see?"

"Oh this just gets better and better!" Alistair exclaimed, throwing up his hands. Morrigan peered closer.

"You?" she said in a curious tone. "A blood mage? Truly, I would never have guessed."

"Well, I dabbled," Jowan said shrugging. "Dabbled enough to get me into deep trouble with the Templars."

"So you thought that if you did something for the Teryn, you would redeem yourself?" Caden asked. "Perhaps save your neck from the Templars who are no doubt eager to track you down?" Jowan nodded. "Ever heard the saying 'two wrongs don't make a right'?"

"I know I was stupid," Jowan said regretfully. "I wish I'd never done it—it just caused more trouble. The Arlessa didn't believe me when I told her that I'd nothing to do with the monsters. She had me tortured and then locked me up here, hoping the monsters would put an end to me."

Caden frowned. He did seem to regret his actions, but whether that was down to genuine remorse for the Arl and Redcliffe, or for his own sorry current situation she couldn't tell. "What are we going to do with you?"

"Please," he said quickly, "If you release me then I swear I will do everything I can to make this right!"

"I say release him," Morrigan said first. "Either put him to good use, or let him go, but don't leave him here to be wasted."

"Have you forgotten that he's a _**blood mage**_?" Alistair demanded. "You can't just...let a blood mage go."

"Is this Alistair the Warden talking, or the Templar?" Morrigan asked mockingly.

Cadens frown deepened. Leliana stepped forward. "The boy wishes to redeem himself. Who are we to deny him that opportunity?" Her words were composed and sensible. Caden nodded thoughtfully.

"Caden, be careful," Alistair warned. "We don't know for sure that he didn't bring forth those monsters. He could be playing you for a fool."

Caden turned around again and observed Jowan. He was silent, merely watching the exchanges awaiting a decision of his fate. She bit her lip. Why did it always come down to her to make the tough decisions?

"Jowan," she said finally. "I'm going to let you out. And then I want you to come with us." He opened his mouth to speak but she carried on. "No arguments. If you want to redeem yourself then you have this one chance to do so. But if I see you even think of using blood magic, then I will put an end to you at once. Do you understand?"

Jowans face was ashen, but he nodded. Leliana set to work on the lock and Alistair pulled Caden to one side. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Caden said. "Leliana is right, we don't have the right to deny him a chance to set things straight again."

"But how will you know if he's about to perform blood magic," Alistair questioned. "Have you ever seen it?"

"No," Caden admitted breezily. "But you have experience of these thing and you have just the right skills to put a stop to his magic's, don't you? Watch him for me."

* * *

Jowan proved to be an excellent addition to the group. He kept quiet and had an arsenal of offensive, non-blood magic spells at the ready. Morrigan was keen to learn his skills for petrifying attackers as well as his spells inducing weakness in opponents and the helped her hone those particular spells. Leliana had decided to mostly stick with her new bow, although she found it sometimes difficult to use this long-range weapon in the various rooms throughout the estate and resorted back to her daggers. She used her bow with great effect when they crossed the courtyard and faced what Morrigan told Caden later was a Revenant. During this battle, Caden managed to lift the castle's portcullis and allow access to Ser Perth and his fellow knights. Sten and Barkspawn were with them and they, too, joined the fray. Alistair sustained a wound to his shoulder that bled profusely until Morrigan cast a basic healing spell on him which staunched the flow of blood until Leliana could bandage him up. He gritted his teeth through this and afterwards favoured his sword arm a little, but he assured Caden that he was fine. Eventually they were able to enter the castle and so reach the main hall.

Teagan was there.

Dancing like a moron.

Caden shared a bemused glance with Alistair as they walked steadily towards the end of the hall where Isolde stood with her entire body angled towards the floor and a thoroughly depressed look on her face. There was a young boy stood beside the Arlessa whom Caden took to be Connor. Teagan finished his jesting with an exaggerated bow and then moved aside. Caden came up before Connor and with one look into his eyes she could tell that something wasn't right. "The boy is possessed." Morrigan murmured into her ear.

"What's this mother?" the boy spoke with a voice that sounded like more than one person was speaking at once in unison.

"She is an elf, Connor," Isolde said, her mouth trembling as she spoke. "You have seen elves before. We have many as servants."

Caden bristled at those words, but tried to ignore them. Connor sneered down at her. "And is she the one who defeated my knights whom I sent to reclaim my village?"

"Yes Connor," Isolde replied, casting frightened looks towards the motley group. Jowan, Caden realised, was notably absent and she cursed herself. "Please don't hurt her."

"Don't you tell me what to do, fool woman!" Connor shouted loudly.

And with that cry Teagan and the surrounding knights sprang into action, leaping suddenly towards Caden and her companions, weapons bared. Caden barely had time to draw her blades before Teagan—with a blank expression in his eyes—engaged her in battle. She hesitated, not wanting to hurt the man who was clearly under the influence of the demon within Connor. She blocked and parried, but couldn't bring herself to attack him back. He swung his sword fiercely and she found herself being backed into a corner. Teagan made a slashing motion with his sword and she felt the blood drip from her arm before she registered the pain of the cut.

"Caden!" she heard Alistair call to her. She sent out a quick prayer, and then quickly dodged his latest swing, ducked under his arms and elbowed him in his chest. He bent forwards, winded, so she pulled back her arms and slammed her knee up and into his face. His head snapped backwards and using the same momentum with her leg, she kicked his in the chest. Teagan fell to the floor, blood oozing out of his nose. Caden muttered a hasty apology then ran to rejoin the fight with the remaining knights. With the help of Ser Perth they were soon dispatched and when Caden looked around she saw no sign of Connor.

"Teagan!" Caden turned to see the Bann stirring and Isolde hurrying to his side. She helped him up and pressed her own handkerchief to his face.

"Warden?" Teagan said as he struggled to his feet. "Are you alright? I was afraid I would hurt you." Caden gestured to her wound which was nasty looking but shallow.

"I'm alright, Teagan, and yourself?"

"Better." He said thickly. "Many thanks."

The group came together again in the middle of the hall.

"So," Caden said rounding on Isolde who was still hovering around Teagan. "That was the evil you warned us about?"

"No," Isolde insisted. "It is not Connors fault. It was that wretched mage who did this to us!"

"Speaking of that wretched mage," Alistair said in a tight voice as he pointedly looked to Caden. Caden gritted her teeth.

"I am here," they all turned to see Jowan re-entering the hall. "I'm sorry I was not present before—I feared I might be a distraction if the Arlessa took offence to me."

"You!" Isolde shrieked. "You brought this on us!"

"No!" Jowan said hurriedly, coming over to stand beside Caden. "No, I promise, it wasn't me!" He sighed heavily. "Alright, so I did poison the Arl. I admit that and I'm deeply sorry for it. But I did not tear the Veil. I fear that Connor, worried by his father's ill health, may have done so."

"What?" Teagan said, furious at the insinuation. Morrigan nodded along.

"Of course," she mused. "The boy made a deal with a demon to protect his father."

"Yes," Jowan agreed. "And now he is possessed of great power."

"But..."Isolde said, dropping the pretence and admitting what she knew. "he is not always so. You could not see it, but he often regains his self long enough to speak to me. He is still my boy."

"Where is he now?" Caden wanted to know.

"I think he has run to his father." Isolde said. "Violence scares him. I know how that sounds, but please believe me. I do not think the demon is constantly in control of him."

Caden was stumped. This felt like it was beyond her capabilities. She knew little of magic, less of the Fade. Adding demons to the mix didn't make her feel any better. And in the centre of this a small boy who loved his father enough to risk manipulation from forces he did not fully understand.

"What can we do?" she asked.

Jowan stepped up. "If I may, the demon resides in the Fade and it is from there that it controls Connor. If we could get a mage to enter the Fade and confront the demon we might be able save Connor." Caden felt a swift rush of relief until she took in the dour expression on Jowans face.

"Then we do that!" Isolde said. Jowan cast her an uneasy look.

"The only problem is to do that we require many more mages than just we two," he said gesturing to Morrigan. "We would also need a great amount of lyrium."

"Which we don't have." Alistair finished. Jowan nodded.

"However," he went on carefully. "I have the means at my disposal to perform the ritual without needing excess mages or lyrium. I can use blood magic instead. It would need to be alot of blood though, someone's entire life force in fact."

"Meaning that someone would have to die?" Teagan guessed.

"Very well," Isolde said firmly. "Then I will be the one to sacrifice myself."

Teagan and Alistair both made noises of exclamation, but Caden looked thoughtful.

"We can't possibly use blood magic as a solution to this," Alistair insisted. "It's illegal for a start!"

"Yes, and what would we tell Eamon should he come round?" Teagan asked incredulously.

"Tell him his sons life was at stake." Isolde said. "He will understand."

"It seems like a useful solution with a willing participant." Morrigan pointed out. Caden looked to Leliana.

"What do you think?" she asked the bard.

"I think that if there is another solution then we should consider that instead." Leliana said without a second thought.

"So far the options are blood magic sacrifice," Caden said, "or we kill a little boy. I don't like either."

"Me neither," Alistair said.

"Well, there is the Circle of Magi," Jowan said slowly. "It holds more than enough mages and raw lyrium. Whether they would agree to come and help is another matter..."

"No, wait," Alistair said, an idea dawning on him. "Once of our treaties, Caden is for the Circle. We could kill two birds with one stone here, by recruiting our allies and saving Connor!" His face radiated with hope. Caden still felt uneasy.

"How far is the Circle from here?" she asked. Teagan thought about it before replying.

"It is a day's journey across the lake," he said.

"So a day's journey there, convince the mages, then a day's journey back?" Caden asked. "In the meantime the demon languishes here and perhaps causes a few more nights like last night?"

Teagan nodded sadly. "Yes. We may have won last night but I cannot see us holding out for another. Especially with you all gone. I fear that may end Redcliffe."

"Then it's not an option." Caden said quietly. Alistair put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her round to face him.

"Caden, wait," he said. "You can't just sentence either Connor or Isolde to death because of something that 'might' happen! Let us try the mages first."

Caden looked up at her fellow Warden. "I think it's too risky. I think we should go with Jowans plan. The Arlessa is willing and it will save a little boy."

Alistair looked shocked. "Blood magic? That's really what you would choose?" He let go of her suddenly as if he could no longer bear to touch her. Then he shook his head. "No," he said angrily. "No, I say we go now to the Circle. Before it's too late."

Caden rubbed her face in frustration. "Alistair you're being irrational—"

"I owe the Arl more than this." He interrupted. "I won't sit by and allow you to use a blood mage without trying the Circle first."

"Fine," Caden snapped. "Fine. You go to the Circle. I'll give you three days to return with your mages and lyrium. I will remain here with Jowan and Morrigan and make sure Connor doesn't do anything crazy like, I don't know, kill _**everyone**_ in the village? If you aren't back within three days we do it my way."

For a moment they stood locked in an angry showdown, neither moving an inch. No-one else spoke. Then finally Alistair broke it. "Fine." He spat, hoisting up his pack. "Fine. If you won't come with me and do the right thing then I will do it myself. Leliana and Sten, will you come with me?" Leliana nodded hastily, not looking at Caden. Sten just moved to stand nearer to Alistair, showing no preference for either plan. Alistair turned back to Caden before he departed. "So much for being in this together."

Then he led the bard and the Qunari out of the castle.


	11. The Waiting Game

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Waiting Game **

Caden fumed for a solid hour after Alistair had gone. Morrigan had instructed her to sleep while she, Jowan and Teagan minded the castle, but Caden could not rest. She felt furious with him for being so short-sighted and for possibly endangering the village in lieu of what she felt was a softer option. She didn't want to kill a little boy, not if what Isolde said was true and he did still retain something of his humanity within him. Of course, the Arlessa could have been lying to save her son, after all she had already allowed the villagers to undergo terrible attacks just to protect Connors secret. Caden couldn't fathom such devotion: sure she had those she loved and whom she felt she would die for, but to keep a secret knowing that he had done wrong and was causing harm to others through that? Then again, she thought with a heavy heart, she had murdered countless knights for Shianni. That thought constantly festered at the back of her mind. Naturally at the time of her killing spree she had been filled with ferocity and the sure thought that what she was doing was _**right**_. Every man had been a threat to her at that moment and she had been hell-bent on reaching Shianni that she had not cared for their lives. She had ended them as swiftly as possible paying no heed to any possible consequences. She wondered, lately how her companions would view her actions on that night. There was no doubt in Cadens mind that her ultimate goal had been a noble one: a rescue mission to save her poor cousin. But had that end justified her means? She felt sure that Morrigan would agree with her, but while she liked the witch Caden had to concede that Morrigan tended to err on the side of ruthlessness. It might often be the most effective way to view the world, but it was a sad one, too. Caden decided she would prefer to hesitate than strike a killing blow, as she had demonstrated earlier, by not immediately killing Connor.

She thought to Leliana and Sten who had agreed to accompany Alistair on his possible fools errand. Leliana had been quiet and quick to side with Alistair. She must have thought that Cadens solution was too harsh. She wondered how the cloistered Sister might judge her death toll when she saved Shianni. Would Leliana think badly of her, the woman who protested against killing men who had yielded to them? Caden felt certain that she would. She sighed. It was undoubtedly easier to make decisions through Morrigans eyes than Lelianas, but Leliana might have been the one who was right.

Which brought Cadens unsettled mind right back to Alistair. A gnawing at the pit of her stomach made her wonder if she had been too hasty. Alistair and Morrigan were opposite sides of the same coin; while one was sometimes cruel and often calculating, the other was soft and often cautious. Which was it better to emulate? Caden didn't know.

Her fitful thoughts eventually gave way to sleep and she spent a rough few hours tossing and turning and having vivid, inexplicable dreams.

* * *

The next day Caden emerged and began making rounds about the castle, ensuring that nothing was untoward. The demon lay silent, although its presence permeated each room. Caden found Teagan in what she guessed was the Arls study. His eyes were bloodshot and there were lines drawn across his forehead. It didn't look like he had slept. He offered a ghost of a smile at Caden as she entered. "Good morning Warden. I am glad to see you managed some sleep."

"It looks like you could use some rest yourself, Teagan." Teagan waved her observation away. He resumed leafing absentmindedly through the papers on the desk. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Hmm?" Teagan looked up. "Oh no, not really. I am just seeing if there is any urgent business I ought to be doing in my brothers absence. Or rather, I am looking for something to take my mind off the situation at hand." He sighed and a small sob escaped his throat. He kept his head angled downwards when he next spoke. "I am not my brother...I am not an Arl." Caden swallowed and went around the desk to him. Once she was stood beside him she realised she could think of literally nothing to say to comfort him. Teagan didn't seem to sense her discomfort and carried on speaking. "My brother is ten years older than I am." He said. "He and my sister, Rowan, always looked out for me, especially after our father died. When Rowan died, Eamon was my pillar of strength during that dark time. I am afraid of having to fill his role should he...not recover from this."

Caden suddenly wished she were anywhere but here. She patted him awkwardly on the back. "He will recover, I'm sure. Everything will be alright once we have dealt with the demon." Even as she spoke she heard how hollow the words sounded. Nevertheless Teagan drew some solace from them.

"Eamon is a strong man," Teagan said, almost as if to himself. "He has done so much for his country during his life. Maker, he even took in Alistair when he was a baby."

Caden didn't know what that had to do with Ferelden as a country, but she nodded along anyway. "Alistair said told me he owed Eamon a lot."

"I'm sure he does feel that way now, although he certainly didn't feel that way when he was growing up," Teagan said managing a smile at the memory. "I'm sure he told you about being sent to the Chantry?" Caden nodded. "It really was the best thing to do at the time. Isolde had him sleeping in the stables here...that couldn't go on. She mistrusted his birthright and Eamon needed to think of somewhere else he could go where he would be better cared for. I think he has always regretted not standing up to Isolde more, but as you saw," he dropped his tone conspiratorially, "she can be quite difficult to argue with."

"I think Alistair feels badly about being angry with Eamon for sending him away." Caden said quietly.

"I'm sure he does, but Eamon holds no grievance against him." Teagan said decisively. He reached into one of the open drawers and drew out an amulet on a silver chain. "This belonged to Alistairs mother. Alistair used to own it, but it broke so Eamon took it to fix it. He hasn't had a chance to give it back to him yet." Caden looked down at the unassuming jewellery and wondered what hold it might have for a man who claimed his only true family was the Grey Wardens. Teagan took Cadens hand and even as she made noises of protest, placed the necklace on her palm. "I think you should keep it for the time being. Give it to Alistair when he returns. That way he will know just how much Eamon thinks of him until he can wake up and thank Alistair for his efforts to save Connor and Redcliffe."

* * *

Jowan paced the corridor beneath the family's quarters where Connor had waited like a spider patiently expecting its prey for two days and one night. Part of him wanted to take the decision away from everyone and just put an end to the demon, but he could not bring himself to do it. He had promised to try and make things right and this was unequivocally bound up in preserving Connors life wherever possible. He wasn't honestly even sure he could perform his ritual. He hated the Arlessa, he knew that much. She had had him tortured; stripped and whipped, bound and gagged, shackled and frozen. She hadn't wanted information, just revenge. For something he had not done! Alright, he would admit to poisoning the Arl, which he supposed had led to the current events, but even so he felt the torture was rather an exaggerated punishment. So yes, he loathed the Orlesian woman. He didn't want to kill her however and he was fearful of what Eamon might do to him when...if...he ever woke up, if Isoldes blood was on his hands. Then again, Connors blood on his hands might be even worse for him.

So they were waiting for the mages to come. Which would probably include First Enchanter Irving and, as he had no doubt the male Warden would mention his name, a fair few Templars. Probably even Greagoir. Great...

Jowan heard a noise upstairs and jumped at the sound. His heart hammered away and his breath caught. He was a bag of nerves. He wished the decision could be made and damn soon.

"Jowan?" he turned as he saw the Warden walking towards him.

"Good morning," he said. "At least I think it is the morning."

"Not yet," Caden nodded. "Dawn has not broken, we still have some night left. And still Connor waits." She looked up the stairs. "It is as if he knows of our plans and knew that if he challenged us we would be forced to kill him."

Jowan stole a glance at Caden while she gazed up the stairs lost in thought. Her face was taut with worry and she had spent the last few days getting less and less hopeful. She was a very beautiful woman, he hadn't been able to help noticing. Sad, but quite lovely. Jowan had known of a very few elves in the tower, but this was the first time he had really noticed the delicate features elves were known for. The fact that she could probably kill him in one motion meant he tried to keep a good distance between them, but she seemed quite relaxed in his presence. He had wondered of this and deduced that it was likely that she did not really understand what blood magic was, save its forbidden nature.

With a sharp pang he thought suddenly of Lily and immediately felt cross with himself for having let her slip from his mind albeit briefly. "Can I tell you how I ended up here?" he asked. It suddenly felt like the most important thing in the world to explain himself to her. Caden snapped out of her daydream and turned to him.

"If you like." She said absently.

"I just think...well, it might put things into perspective." Jowan went on. "I would hate to be thought of as nothing more than a no-good poisoner. Not that I'm trying to absolve my guilt or deny that it happened, you understand." He added quickly. Caden merely observed him and waited for the story to come. Jowan considered her for a moment. "What do you know of life in the tower?"

Caden shrugged. "Next to nothing, I'm afraid. Morrigan tells me its little more than a mage prison. Alistair tells me it is both a home and a school for magic."

"Well, they're both right to point," Jowan said grimly. "The tower was my home and I had a happy childhood there. Happier than I had with my parents, that's for sure. They didn't trust my abilities. My own mother called me an abomination. When I ended up in the Circle at 5 years old it was the only home I've ever known. For a long while I loved it. But then I got older. I started to mistrust the Templars who watched us like hawks. Or snakes, maybe. Like some sort of predator anyway. They didn't trust us and that was evident. And the mages just put up with it. It got my back up when I was a teenager." Jowan rubbed his hands along his arms as if he were cold. Caden listened—she knew the feeling of being watched by apparently superior beings and could sympathise, but she tried to keep an open mind and wait for the rest of the tale. "When a mage is deemed ready they go through something called the Harrowing. It is shrouded in secret, but my closest friend went through it right before all this dreadful stuff happened and he told me. They send you into the Fade and you have to prove that you can outwit and out-battle a demon. If you can't then they kill you. If you can then you are promoted from apprentice to a fully fledged mage. It's one step closer to possibly leaving the tower." Jowan looked wistfully out of the nearest window at this.

"So, you never went through this Harrowing thing?" Caden asked.

"No," Jowan said, bitterness slipping out of his mouth. "No, I wasn't deemed trusted enough. You see, if a mage doesn't somehow fit their criteria for taking the test, then they get made Tranquil." Jowans eyes shined as a haunted look came to them. "To be made Tranquil is to have everything sucked out of you, everything that makes you a person, let alone a mage. No feelings or emotions. No anger, no hate, no joy. No love. Nothing. You're just a shell of a person."

Caden listened in disgust. She knew elves whom life itself had made 'tranquil', elves who's eyes held no spark of life. To hear that somewhere in Ferelden there were humans being forced into such a state against their will was horrifying. She touched Jowans hand. "That's awful." She said softly.

Jowan nodded. "It was what lay in store for me. I saw the form authorising it on the First Enchanters desk. I couldn't let that happen to me."

"I understand," Caden said, feeling very strongly that this practise was not something she could agree with. Jowan gave her small smile.

"I was in love," he said delicately. "I'd fallen in love with a Chantry initiate called Lily. We wanted to be together, but we couldn't be. Not in the tower. It was forbidden."

Caden nodded. Things were making even more sense now.

"I had to find and destroy my phylactery. Without it the Templars couldn't hope to find me. Then Lily and I could escape and live out our lives together." Jowan finished. "Only we were caught and I turned to blood magic to flee. Once I did that Lily didn't want anything to do with me."

"So why not turn your back on blood magic?" Caden wanted to know. "If it cost you Lily?"

"Oh I have, mostly." Jowan said. "Apart from my suggestion for dealing with the demon. I don't want to use it again, unless under duress. That's only why I used it against the Templars at the Circle—it was use it or become Tranquil."

Caden nodded thoughtfully. She wasn't sure what she would have done if backed into a corner like that, but she had a feeling that she might have reacted the same way. It certainly explained some things about Jowan, not least how he came to be free from the tower.

He was still gazing out of the window and Caden followed his stare. To her dismay the sun was up and dim light was seeping in through the window. She turned as she heard footsteps ascending the stairs. Teagan, Isolde and Morrigan were coming towards her.

"Any sign?" Caden asked, knowing the answer before Teagan shook his head. Her heart sank.

"What do we do now, Warden?" Teagan asked her. She turned back to the window to consider. She hated having the weight of the responsibility on her. She had given Alistair a deadline of three days to return; one day travelling each way and then a full day to convince the mages to aid them. Alistair had been dead set on fulfilling this self-imposed obligation. There was no way he was just dawdling back. The gnawing in her stomach had been getting worse throughout the time they were apart and at that moment it felt as though she had swallowed lead and it had pooled in her abdomen. _**Maker, what should I do? **_"Connor has made no move to leave his room." She said almost to herself. "I wonder why...perhaps he is indeed afraid of fighting and so he is afraid of us?"

"I think that is true," Isolde hurried to agree. "I think he fears you, Warden."

"Or the demon does," Morrigan said with a tinge of respect in her words.

"Teagan," Caden turned to the Bann who looked back expectantly. "What's the quickest time you know of for someone to reach the tower by boat."

Teagan raised his eyebrows and blew out his cheeks as he considered. "With perfect conditions, i.e. a clear day with no adverse weather conditions and a breeze going in the right direction a sail boat could make it in a few hours. A row boat in the same conditions depending on the amount of people rowing would only be slightly slower, or it may even be faster." He gave her a long look. "You are thinking of going there yourself, aren't you?"

Morrigan narrowed her eyes at Caden who flushed guiltily although she wasn't sure why she felt guilty. "I am." Caden admitted. "I have had longer to consider the options and I am loathe to select either option that we have going for us right now." She stopped and chewed on her lip. "But how can I leave the castle, leave the village un-protected against the demon?"

"It will not be unprotected." Jowan said forcefully. "I elect to remain here and I will continue my vigil outside the demons room." Isolde did not look pleased by this news.

"Why have you changed your mind?" Morrigan wanted to know.

"In part because the demon has been quiet of late," Caden said. "I feel less afraid of an attack and if one comes I think we are readily prepared, unlike before." She stopped and looked across the lake again. "More importantly I think there is something wrong." The images of her disturbing dreams flashed back into her brain. "I can't define it, but I have a terrible feeling that something is amiss with Alistair and the others. Surely they would have been back by now, or sent a scout messenger on ahead? I have to know for sure."

"I think you should deal with the demon now, before you depart." Morrigan advised, sounding sensible if somewhat callous.

Isolde blanched. "Please Warden, you said yourself that the demon is quiet—is it not therefore conceivable that Connor is more in control?"

"I'm sure I won't be long," Caden said to Morrigan. "I will set off at once and I won't delay. I will return ahead of the others if need be should everything be in order."

"And if it is not?" Morrigan asked hiking one eyebrow.

"Then..." Caden floundered a little. "Then I leave the final decision to Teagan. He will know what to do should the need arise." Teagan flinched at his name, but hid it well. He nodded brusquely.

"Very well," he said. "We shall head to the village and send you across the lake with our strongest rowers in order to make use of the fine morning."

"Good luck, Warden." Morrigan called in a tone that sounded more than a little sarcastic.

As Caden passed Isolde, the woman laid her hand on Cadens arm. "Thank you." She said quietly. Caden nodded once to her and then followed Teagan to the docks.


	12. Enter Sandman Part 1

_This was orgininally one chapter, but I decided to part 1/part 2 it as it seemed a little long for a fanfic chapter in my opinion. I also couldnt get Metallica out of my head so they wormed their way into the fic, the minxes. _

_

* * *

_

**Enter Sandman**

**Part One**

The Circle of Magi loomed tall and imposingly out of the middle of the lake. Caden couldn't help but wonder at the way it dominated the skyline and was struck by just how much it looked like a prison, surrounded as it was by deep, dark water. It had taken some persuasion on her part to gain entry to the tower—the Templar, Carroll, assigned the duty of minding the ferry had been very reluctant to allow her passage across. He'd complained about having to ferry over a trio of wanderers led by a supposed Grey Warden already in the past few days and having been threatened by a qunari of all things in doing so. Thus Caden learned that Alistair, Leliana and Sten had indeed entered the tower, but upon further questioning she discovered that they had not yet left. It did nothing to appease her worry.

She was sheparded into the tower (after insisting that she was indeed a Grey Warden and was seeking her fellows) and accompanied up circular stairs until she was quite disorientated. Finally she found herself standing before a statuesque man wearing Templar plate.

"Knight-Commander Greagoir, I presume?" Caden asked. Jowan had given her a very brief outline of whom she may meet once she reached the tower and the head of the resident Templars stood out rather making him easy to identify.

"I am," Greagoir responded in a gravelly voice. "And you are another Grey Warden?"

"That is correct." Caden said, inclining her head in a reverent greeting. She wanted to keep this burly man on her side if she was to find her friends. "I have come to seek out my fellow Warden who I believe entered this tower a few days ago?"

"I remember him," Greagoir said. "He came to seek the mages assistance with the coming Blight and I will tell you what I told him: the tower is ill-equipped at present to fight any threat, Blight be damned."

Taken aback Caden blinked. "May I enquire as to what has occurred?" she asked, remaining polite in the face of his abrupt attitude.

"The tower has been attacked from within," Greagoir said, his voice taking on a tired quality. "Abominations run rampant and we fear the mages inside are all lost. We have barred the doors and will not be opening them again. I have called for the Rite of Annulment."

"The Rite of...?"

"It is a decree which allows me to order a cleansing of the tower," Greagoir explained with all the patience he could muster. "It should arrive from Denerim by the evening."

"And what will happen to any survivors trapped inside?"

"There are no survivors." Greagoir insisted quickly. "At least I cannot be certain there is any still living within who has not been taken over by a demonic being. It is too dangerous to enter and too painful to have any hopes dashed by what we might find."

Caden felt cold. "But...surely some hope is better than none? If yet one person still lives surely that is reason enough to try?"

Greagoir harrumphed. "That is exactly what your companion said. Do they teach such insane optimism to each new recruit in the Wardens?" he asked sarcastically. Caden felt heat rising in her cheeks, but she forced her anger away. She had to learn more about this situation and Alistairs place in it.

"Did Alistair go inside?" she asked with a dangerously fragile calm.

"Indeed he did." Greagoir said. "I told him that if he could secure the tower and return with the First Enchanter's word that it was indeed so that would be good enough for me. He and your other companions entered but they have not returned. When the Rite arrives I will waste no time using it."

The anger left Caden only to be replaced by a desperate fear. "No, you can't!" she blurted out. "Not with Alistair and the others inside! Didn't you hear that the Grey Wardens suffered massive losses at the battle of Ostagar? There are only the two of us left in all of Ferelden! You have to let me find him."

"With all due respect, Warden, there only being two of you left seems like all the more reason to stay _**out**_ of the tower."

"No," Caden shook her head obstinately. "No, I won't abandon him to a pointless death. I won't."

Greagoir sighed as he ran his eyes over the girl standing before him, for she cannot have been any older than twenty. She was a typical elfin stature—tiny and petite—and looked like she could barely lift the blades on her back. But her face was determinedly set and he could see a fierce stubbornness in her inky blue eyes.

"Very well, Warden," he eventually agreed. "The Annulment should be hear by dusk so you had better be back here by then."

Caden gave the Knight-Commander a nod and then headed over to the doors. Templars parted to let her by and each one watched the small woman, with her head held as high and as nobly as any queen pass through the heavy, powerful doors. She didn't stop walking and although they didn't see it she didn't flinch when the doors were shut behind her with an ominous bang.

* * *

"Petra, Kinnon, now!" Caden rounded a corner to hear a woman barking instructions at her fellow mages. To Cadens amazement the woman and her partners simultaneously aimed spells at a being of fire and rage until it sputtered and dissolved like ashes on a pyre. The woman turned and her sharp eyes locked onto Caden along with her wickedly sharp staff. "Who is this? Speak, and do it quickly!"

Caden stopped in her tracks and held up her hands to show she was not wielding any weapons. The fact that her hands were mere inches from her blades and that she could draw them in a matter of seconds was by the by. "My name is Caden Tabris and I am a Grey Warden seeking my companions who entered the tower a few days hence. Who are you, might I ask?"

The mage seemed to assess her for a moment and then she lowered her staff. "I am Wynne, a senior enchanter here at the Circle." Wynne considered her as Caden dropped her hands and walked over to her. "I remember you from Ostagar...did you go through your Joining there?"

Caden nodded. "Yes. I don't recall you though, I'm afraid."

Wynne chuckled softly. "Well, you were entranced by your surroundings it seemed to me, In fact I remember you largely because I watched you trailing through the camp with eyes as wide as a child." Caden felt herself smile in spite of the dire situation. Then she dragged herself back to the matter at hand.

"Wynne, have you seen my fellow Warden and two other companions? A woman and a qunari. I am have come to seek them, you see."

"I certainly have," Wynne said. "And I will tell you were they went if you answer my question: has Greagoir received the Rite of Annulment yet?" Caden shook her head mutely. "No, I thought as much. Had it arrived he would no doubt be implanting its power by now."

"He told me he expected to receive it by nightfall," Caden explained. "He gave me until then to find my friends and any survivors and return to the doors. If I can find the First Enchanter then so much the better, although I don't know how I'm expected to know who that is."

Wynne gave her a kind smile. "It is a lot of responsibility for one person in a very short timeframe. I think I will have to accompany you to ensure that you succeed."

"Oh no, Wynne," Caden said hurriedly. The mage was not exactly young after all...

Wynne's clear eyes narrowed crossly. "Do not be fooled by my age, young Caden. I was not at Ostagar to knit sword covers for the knights—I am a skilled battle mage. You could do worse than me for an accomplice."

Caden looked away shamefully. Then she swallowed and offered a paltry smile to Wynne. "Very well," she said, feeling like she had no choice in the matter anyway. "I welcome you along."

"Good," Wynne said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Petra and Kinnon, protect the youngsters. Caden? This way."

* * *

Together Wynne and Caden sped through the levels of the Circle, with Wynne explaining where they were at each area. They found no foes, only freshly dead corpses, a mixture of mages and more dangerous creatures; most likely Alistair, Leliana and Sten's handy work. Caden learned more about Wynne as they travelled and Wynne told Caden about how the tower usually was when not overrun by abominations. Wynne told her about Uldred, a mage who returned from Ostagar a changed man and when they came across Owain in the stock room they learned about a mage called Niall who had procured the Litany of Andalla. Caden was horribly fascinated by Owain—so that was how a Tranquil became. She saw in him Jowans fear crystallised and felt again a pang of understanding of how he came to use such desperate methods for freedom. When Caden asked Wynne what she knew of Jowan, Wynne had sniffed and muttered derisively about blood magic being the worst school of magic and that anyone who used such spells was a disgrace to mages everywhere. It could have come across like a stern schoolmarm looking down her nose at a student, but Caden saw how firmly Wynne believed in a better life for mages everywhere. Her disdain at mages who dabbled in forbidden arts seemed to have more to do with how those actions affected mages as a whole and how the wicked or poor decisions of a minority sullied the names of a hard-working majority.

Throughout their search, Caden found herself very grateful of the company of one who held such vast knowledge of the arcane arts—certainly an area where Caden readily admitted her ignorance.

They travelled up several floors and within a short time they found themselves on the fourth floor, which Wynne explained was used for the Templars quarters. Once they arrived on this floor, Caden stumbled and nearly fell. Wynne caught hold of her arm.

"What is that matter?" she asked concerned. "Are you injured?"

"No," Caden said shaking her head. "I just came over strange." A similar feeling to the one she got when darkspawn were near was bubbling under the surface of her skin and her stomach turned over. "I know it might sound peculiar, but I think I can feel Alistair nearby." Wynne observed Caden without a word. "He is, he's up here. I know it." Caden spoke with such assurance that bewildered her: she didn't know she knew, but she was certain of that fact. Perhaps it had something to do with the taint that linked them? She would have to ask Alistair once she finally clapped eyes on him again.

Caden straightened up—the sick feeling had vanished almost as soon as she had identified it. She confidently led the way into the large room at the centre of the floor.

Alistair was there, as were Leliana and Sten. They were lying prone on the floor, as if they had fallen asleep where they stood and simply dropped. The sight of her companion was a relief, even though he was unconscious on the stones and Caden started towards him without a thought.

Before she could reach him a being more than twice her height stepped out of the shadows and loomed over her. Caden gazed into its face and stifled a scream; it looked like a human face that had been melted. It had no mouth yet it spoke and the soporific words seemed to penetrate her very skull and resounded in her head.

"More weary travellers in need of a well earned rest I see," it said with a slow, drawling voice.

"Demon," Wynne whispered. "We must...resist...don't listen to it..." She rubbed her eyes furiously.

"What have you done to my friends?" Caden wanted to know, feeling drowsiness weigh her down.

"They are at peace," it replied. "I have given them what they most desire and I can give you the same if you let me."

A thud signalled to Caden that Wynne had succumbed and slumped to the floor. Caden herself was struggling to keep her eyes open and her back bowed under the pressure to sleep. "No..." she murmured, slurring her words. "I can't sleep...I have to...save them..."

_**Maker...**_


	13. Enter Sandman Part 2

I hate the fade

**_Part Two_**

**_

* * *

_**

_Duncan greeted her. "Welcome to Weisshaupt!"_

"_What am I doing here?"_

"_Why, the Blight ended when we triumphed at Ostagar. We are celebrating the end of the Blight, indeed _**all**_ Blights."_

"_No...that's not what happened." Caden struggled to think. "No, we lost...you died, Duncan."_

_Duncan's face did not change—it remained fixed in a beatific smile. "Such foolishness. Of course I am not dead."_

"_No," Caden said with more conviction. "You died and Alistair and I are the last two left. I have to find him!"_

_Now his face changed. "Insolent wretch! I offer you peace, but all you desire is war!"_

_Caden parried as he attacked. His moves were quick, but hers were quicker and despite a feeling of guilt, Caden swiftly bested the older man. As he fell, Caden recalled Wynnes lessons on demons and the Fade. With a jolt of sick realisation Caden knew that was where she was. The demon had spoken of given her a rest and she knew at once that it was the demon who had thrust her into the Fade. It had said something about giving her friends what they most desired...is that what the altercation with Duncan had been about? Was that what it thought she most desired? She wondered where it had deduced that from. Caden thought about it and couldn't pinpoint one overruling yearning above all other things. She wanted to locate her friends, to apologise to Alistair and give him his mothers charm, to save Connor without any more bloodshed, to defeat the Blight, to return to the Alienage. If there was any one thing Caden felt most strongly about it was to return to her fateful wedding day and prevent Shianni from the trauma of being raped by Vaughan. But she knew it was an impossible fantasy and so she quashed that longing and focussed instead on the present day and what she could do now to save her family. She couldn't dwell on anything as she had too much responsibility piled up on her. Caden supposed it was that feeling of being weighed down with the task of defeating the Blight, not to mention every little decision in between that had created the scene with Duncan, a world where she was not one of the only Grey Wardens left to face the Blight with no room for failure. _

_Still, it had clearly not been strong enough and remembering Alistair had pulled her out of it. _

_Alistair. She guessed that he had to be somewhere in this place, along with her other companions and Wynne. She had to find them. Fast. _

_

* * *

_

_Niall waited as the spectre who called herself Caden flitted in and out of his small realm, each time returning with proud, if a little smug, news. She had taken his advice literally and was cutting a swathe through each platform, ridding the place of each demon. Even though he felt little joy in this hated place, he started to look forward to her return visits. She claimed to have gained shape shifting abilities from each area. He didn't know whether to believe her, but her eyes shone even in this muted, subdued world and he couldn't help but wonder what if she was strong enough to defeat the demon who resided at the centre of this place? Eventually she returned to him, grinning broadly._

"_I told you," she said boldly. "I have defeated five demons on my own. I told you I would."_

"_But you have not yet found your friends." Niall pointed out glumly. This deflated her momentarily and he felt a pang of grievance for being the one to shake her daring attitude. "But I think I know where they might be." He said hurriedly, realising that he probably _**did**_ know all along. The joy shining from her face made him feel warm for the first time in this dull new world._

"_Where, Niall?" she asked eagerly. Niall directed her to travel outside the circle to the small peninsulas attached to it. _

"_I think they might be there." _

_Caden flashed him a blinding smile and he thought he might cry. Then she dropped a kiss on his cold cheek. "I'll be back." _

_

* * *

_

"_Sten?"_

_Sten was sitting beside a cold campfire surrounded by other qunari soldiers. Caden felt like a sapling encircled by giant, aged oak trees. _

"_What are you doing?" _

"_I am embracing the presence of my fallen comrades," he said in his typical solemn tones. "Leave me to this reverie."_

"_Sorry Sten, but I think they're demons." Caden pointed out. "Besides, you swore that you would follow me, remember?"_

_Sten closed his eyes in thought. "I do recall this." He said, opening his eyes and getting to his feet. "Onward then. Let us leave this dream."_

_The demons violently objected to this, but Caden was high on her newfound abilities and happily switched to her golem form to bash the demons into a pulp. After the short fight she switched back. Sten appeared not to have noticed. _

"_Thank you for your assistance," Sten said somberly. Caden turned to speak to him, but before she could open her mouth Stens image dissolved into thin air. She frowned. Where had he gone?_

_

* * *

_

_Wynne was weeping. She had the mangled corpses of those Caden had seen her protecting in the apprentice quarters lying at her feet. But they were taunting her nonetheless. _

"_Wynne, look at me," Caden grabbed the mages arms. "Don't listen to them."_

"_I have failed them all..." Wynne moaned. "And where were you? You swore to help me!"_

"_I'm helping you now." Caden said forcefully. "They're demons masquerading as humans, look!" _

_Caden attacked one and they all rounded on her. Wynne cried out in alarm, but soon Caden saw her join the fight as the masks slipped from the demons true visage'. Like Sten before her, Wynne had vanished no sooner had the battle ended._

_

* * *

_

_Caden heard mutters of prayer as she came upon Leliana kneeling beside an alter, watched by what looked like the Revered Mother. Caden edged closer. "Leliana?"_

_The bard looked up blankly. "Yes? Who are you?"_

"_I'm Caden, remember?" Caden shot a glance at the 'Mother' and crouched down to Lelianas eye line. "A Grey Warden. We met in Lothering."_

"_No, I'm sorry I do not know you." Leliana said hurriedly. "Now if you'll excuse me I must get back to the Chant of Light."_

"_Wait, Leliana," Caden touched her cheek and turned Lelianas head to face her again. "you gave up this life to accompany me on my quest. The Maker foretold this—He sent you a dream to follow me."_

_A brief glimpse of memory flickered over her face. "Caden...?"_

"_No," the demon cried in rage and both rogues deftly engaged it in battle. It lay dead before it had a chance to strike at them. _

"_Thank you," Leliana said as she faded away._

_

* * *

_

"_I was just thinking about you, isn't that odd." Caden felt relief wash through her as she came across Alistair with a goofy expression on his face. _

"_Alistair," she breathed. _

"_Yes, that's right," Alistair nodded helpfully. "I'm a prince, you know."_

"_Of course you are," Caden said rolling her eyes. "But I think we ought to get back to y'know, stopping the Blight? If that's alright with you, your highness."_

"_Oh, but Goldanna is just about to serve dinner!" Alistair whined, sounding like a child during the Saturnalia feast. "Can we _**please**_ stay for that?"_

"_Goldanna?"_

"_Oh!" Alistair slapped his forehead. "I haven't introduced you." He grabbed Caden and led her over to a woman surrounded by children who was hovering over a pot of something that smelled bland to Cadens nose, yet was obviously delicious to Alistair's. "This is my sister, Goldanna."_

"_I thought you didn't have any family." Caden asked, momentarily stunned by this new information to focus on getting them out. _

"_Oh yes," Alistair nodded. "Plus all these nieces and nephews. Well, we're half siblings. I have a brother, too, well half-brother. Only they aren't related. I'm sure he'll be along soon anyway." _

_Caden nodded slowly. So this was what he truly desired? A cosy life enveloped by his family. Suddenly all his protestations about the Grey Wardens being a family made a lot more sense. No wonder he was keen for them to get on—being in the Grey Warden made Caden his sister of sorts. Caden shook her head slowly at him; smiling like he would never stop._

"_Oh Alistair," she wrapped her arms around him and although he was bemused, he hugged her back. _

_When they broke apart, Caden took a deep breath. "Alistair. This woman is not your sister. She is a demon. And we have to kill her to escape."_

_His face crumpled. "No."_

_Caden couldn't bear to look at his heart-broken expression so she turned and sliced apart the demon who had the audacity to wear Alistairs sisters face. When the multitude of children reared up into their demon forms, Alistair joined the fight._

_When it was over Caden held onto Alistairs hand as he stared down at the demons littered around their feet. "I can't believe it..." he said crest-fallen. Caden didn't watch him go, but she felt his touch grow fainter until it was all gone._

_

* * *

_

_When she went to the centre of the Fade and faced the sloth demon, they all reappeared beside her. Caden drew strength from their presences and was overjoyed to hear that they had all regained their minds and knew exactly what was happening. Caden grinned triumphantly at the demon even as he promised to try again and give them better dreams. He had barely finished his sentence before the group was upon him fighting with all the indignation of shattered dreams._

_

* * *

_

Caden awoke on the cold stone floor of the Templars quarters and for a moment she didn't know where she was. She heard a groan nearby and she shot up, knowing instinctively that it was Alistair. He was sitting up and rubbing his head. Without thinking Caden flung her arms around his neck and held him tight. He made a noise of shock and she quickly drew back.

"Sorry," she apologised. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Caden?" Alistair blinked several times. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you," Caden said with a wry smile. "I dragged your sorry arse out of the Fade where that demon," she pointed to the large corpse of the sloth demon, "held you captive. He showed us scenes we wanted to believe were true, that's how he controlled you. You were harping on about some brother and sister you claimed you had, although they were truly demons in disguise and some nonsense about being a prince." Caden clamped her mouth shut as she registered Alistairs blush. It suddenly occurred to her that being privy to someone's innermost desires might be cause for more than a little embarrassment and she probably oughtn't to go on about it. "Sorry," she said again. "I'm just so pleased to have found you. I was so worried."

Alistair was looking at her as if he had never seen her before. "You're not yourself."

Caden laughed sadly. "Maybe I am myself: the me I was before my dreadful wedding day."

Alistair's eyes creased in sympathy so Caden quickly stood up. She didn't know why she had said that.

"Right, well, we'd better make sure everyone else is recovered." She babbled turning from Alistair and heading to Leliana, Wynne and Sten in turn. Once she was satisfied that no-one was any the worse for wear, she went to the cold body of Niall. Shedding a small tear for him, she bent and swept his eyes gently closed. "Sleep now," she whispered. "You did all you could." She took the Litany of Andalla from his body and showed it to Wynne, who verified its authenticity.

Caden nodded grimly. "Well, then." She said to the re-assembled group. "Shall we?"

She led them upstairs to the Harrowing Chamber.


	14. The Circle Saved

**The Circle Saved**

When Caden next saw Knight-Commander Greagoir she thought for a moment that he had been turned to stone, for he stood completely still as the Wardens, their companions, a small group of mages including the First Enchanter and the Templar Cullen headed towards him. The shock was evident in his face, but as they drew closer Caden saw relief there, too.

"Knight-Commander," she said when they came to a halt. "The abominations are gone, the blood mages are dead and the survivors are rescued. The tower is secure once more."

Uldred had been a vicious opponent; one who had strived to get Caden on side rather than immediately draw her into battle. Caden had been reminded starkly of Vaughan at that point; the nobles son had also tried to bargain with her to save his neck. A red mist had descended and the fight began. Uldred had transformed into a Pride demon and had tried on numerous occasions to enchant those around him, which had been Cadens cue to recite the Litany of Andalla. Each time she was able to foil his attempts at controlling those around him and each time Caden sent a prayer to Niall for his assistance beyond the Fade. Even so Uldred had been tough. Leliana and Wynne had worked together especially well, each hanging back to use their ranged weapons while Alistair and Sten hacked into the monstrosity Uldred had become. Wynne, it turned out, had a host of extremely effective healing spells that she utilised to great effect. Finally the beast had fallen and Sten had driven his broadsword through Uldreds skull to ensure he was dead. And then they had gathered the survivors and headed back downstairs to the apprentice quarters.

"So I see," Greagoir said, running his gaze over the paltry amount of mages and the single Templar. "So few survivors," he murmured.

"At least there _**are**_ survivors," Caden said archly. "I take it your Rite has not arrived?"

Greagoir looked away and when he turned back to her he looked almost sheepish. "The Rite arrived two hours ago." He admitted. Then he looked at the First Enchanter. "Irving, can you confirm the Wardens assessment? Is the tower under control?"

"It is, Greagoir," Irving said gladly. "Thanks to the efforts of the Wardens."

Greagoir did not miss the snipe, but he chose to ignore it in light of the fortuitous events of the evening. "Very well. We will head into the tower to begin the salvage operations."

Irving inclined his head towards Greagoir then turned to Caden. "I take it you came here seeking aid against the Blight?"

"Good guess," Caden said nodding.

"It was no guess," Irving chuckled. "Duncan was a very old friend of mine and he had come to the circle seeking aid before that fateful battle at Ostagar. I will be proud to ally the mages with your cause, Warden."

"Thank you, First Enchanter." Caden said gratefully. "In the mean time, you wouldn't be able to do us another favour...?"

* * *

It rained through the night as the Wardens and their companions, along with a host of mages were rowed back over the lake towards Redcliffe castle. Alistair and Caden sat side by side in one boat huddled in their oiled clocks. It was cold and miserable, but Caden was still in good spirits.

"We've done it," she said as they began their journey back. "We've recruited one set of allies. We're a step closer to taking on the Archdemon!"

"Well, you did it," Alistair said easily. "_**I**_ had a nap."

Caden looked at him and saw the twinkle in his eyes and burst out laughing. Alistair couldn't help but smile at the sight and sound. She looked so young and free when she laughed, not like a woman tasked with the impossible at all. Alistair hadn't believed her when Caden asked Irving to accompany them back to save Connor. He had felt certain that if Caden had left the castle she would have ensured Connor could do no harm to anyone while she was gone. But she had chosen to respect his wishes even as she came to save him. Just when he thought he had her figured out...

"So tell me," he asked her, leaning in closer as the rain fell harder and made hearing each other more difficult. "How did you manage to keep your head in the Fade? Did the demon not show you your greatest desire?"

Caden shrugged. "Not really. Or rather I found myself in a place I thought I wanted more than anything, but there was too much missing for me to be happy there." Alistair deliberated before asking her where she had been taken. "I was in Weisshaupt, or what I thought Weisshaupt was. Duncan was there."

"Duncan?" Alistair asked, with great surprise.

"He told me that the Blight had been defeated at Ostagar." Caden considered for a moment. "I guess he represented the Wardens in my mind which was why he was there and I think what the demon was 'giving me' was a world in which I didn't have these difficult tasks to complete. I can see why it would have thought I would have wanted that."

"How did you know it was a lie?" Caden laughed softly to herself.

"It will sound strange, but I couldn't understand why you weren't there," she admitted. "I thought that with the Blight over you would be there at Weisshaupt, too. And then thinking of you reminded me of whom I was searching for and suddenly it was like I knew that wasn't Duncan. Of course then he attacked me which was my next clue..."

Alistair looked at her for a long while. "That makes sense." He said finally. "Clearly your sense of honour to your duty overrode your desire to escape it."

"I hadn't thought about it like that." Caden said taken aback. "I didn't even realise I had a sense of duty!"

"Of course you do," Alistair said, as if it were obvious. "You're still here, aren't you? I couldn't stop you if you wanted to leave given how dire a situation we're in yet you remain. In fact you were the one who remembered the treaties and made me believe it was possible."

Caden smiled and ducked down into the hood of her cloak to hide her sudden shyness. It still seemed quite ridiculous that anyone would ask her opinion on _**anything**_. Alistair was looking at her with more than a little respect and admiration—it felt very strange.

Alistair couldn't help but marvel at the elf sat beside him. She was younger and smaller than him, but was clearly made of sterner stuff than he. He had been so angry with her for choosing to side with Jowan over the matter of Connor that when he had left he had cursed her name and cursed Duncan for bringing her to the Wardens. Of all the people to have been stuck with to face the Blight, he had to be stuck with the most obstinate, ignorant elf to ever lift a blade. Yet it was her stubbornness which had gained her entry to the tower and perhaps her naivety of what she might face therein that had given her the courage to head in alone. He himself had been wary of heading into the tower; he had been trained as a Templar after all. He had dearly wanted to agree with Greagoir to wait for the Rite of Annulment, and it was only the thought of Connors life being at stake that had sent him through those heavy doors. And now travelling back towards Redcliffe with her at his side, she seemed like the most suitable choice of partner against the Blight. Alistair sent out an apology to Duncans memory for ever having doubted his choice of Caden. The man knew what he was doing.

* * *

"How are things here?" Caden hurried up to Teagan and asked her question before Teagan had even registered the party that arrived at the castle. He recovered quickly and gave Caden an update.

"After you left the demon tried to raise up some more of those undead things, but we were prepared for that," Teagan said. "Your mages and my brothers knights quickly put an end to that before they could even leave the castle grounds."

"Excellent, well done," Caden said. "Where he is now?"

"The same place again," Teagan replied. "Up in my brothers room." Then he turned to Alistair. "So good to see you again, Alistair. I am very glad to see you unharmed."

Alistair nodded but said nothing. Caden was all business.

"We need to get inside to start the ritual."

* * *

Morrigan stirred and Caden hovered, feeling pretty certain that the witch would not want anyone mollycoddling her. The amber eyes opened and locked onto Cadens. "The boy is free."

Caden stuck out a hand and Morrigan took it, allowing Caden to help haul her to her feet.

"Thank you Morrigan." She said reverentially.

Isolde hurried from the room with Teagan and Alistair at her heels. Caden helped Morrigan over to a chair. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"The blasted Fade," Morrigan said, flexing her joints—she had gone stiff lying on the cold flagstones. "I am loathe to enter it, it takes so much out of me."

"I'm sorry to have sent you in that case," Caden apologised. "I simply felt that of all the mages available I had known you the longest and I trust you the most."

Morrigan gave Caden a look of pitying surprise. "Truly? I am the most trusted mage here? That is a worrying thought." She laughed at her own joke and Caden smiled back. "Now go. Leave me to recover from that place. Go and have council and decide our next move."

Caden nodded and slipped from the room.

Alistair was waiting for her outside the Arls quarters. As Caden caught up with him she asked: "How is Connor?"

"He is perfectly fine," Alistair said relief evident throughout his body. "He remembers the demon and what happened, but physically he is well."

"It's a good thing he remembers that demon," Caden said. "That might prevent him from thinking they were a good sort to do deals with in future. How is the Arl?"

Alistairs face took on a concerned expression again. "No change. Irving and Wynne are currently assessing his sickness and trying to diagnose him."

Caden nodded and walked past Alistair into the Arls room. She caught sight of Connor playing in one corner of the room. Isolde and Teagan were standing beside Eamons bed; Irving and Wynne were peering over him and muttering to each other very softly. As the Wardens came up to the bed, Irving straightened up.

"I'm afraid I can't work this out," he confessed.

"Nor I," Wynne agreed. "It is most strange—he does not seem ill per se, yet he will not wake."

"So what do we do?" Teagan wanted to know. Isolde jumped in first.

"There is only one thing that will cure him now," she insisted. "The Urn of Sacred Ashes."

Caden frowned. "The what?"

"Isolde, not this again," Teagan sighed, ignoring Cadens question for the time being. "We have all of my brothers knights out searching for this dratted thing and none have found a trace. For all we know it is purely fictional—a myth of legends."

"It is real and it will cure Eamon," Isolde said mulishly.

Caden turned to Alistair seeing as know one had acknowledged her question. "What's the Urn of Sacred Ashes?"

Alistair opened his mouth to speak, but Wynne got there first. "Supposedly the Urn holds the ashes of our prophet, Andraste." She said. "It is said that one pinch of the Ashes can cure even the sickest of men."

"You see," Isolde said, speaking now to Caden. "One pinch is all we need and Eamon will be as right as rain."

"However," Wynne continued speaking a little louder and more firmly. "No-one has ever clapped eyes on the Ashes. They are almost certainly a myth."

"Not necessarily." Isolde said. "One of Eamons knights has tracked down an expert on the Ashes. A Brother Genitivi who resides in Denerim."

"Denerim," Alistair said and he and Caden shared a look.

"Well, we have a lot to consider," Teagan said clapping his hands together officially. "But might I suggest it can wait until morning? Wardens, please make yourselves and your companions comfortable here and you can decide what to do in the morning." Isolde looked like she wanted to argue, but clearly common sense won out and she did not. Instead she nodded to everyone, then went to Connor and ushered him out of the room.

"If I might add one thing," Wynne said before anyone else could leave. "Irving, I request leave from the tower to accompany the Wardens on their journey."

Irving chuckled, while Alistair looked surprised. Caden shook her head wryly. "What about the tower, Wynne," she asked. "Don't you want to help rebuild it?"

"I think Irving can manage that without me," Wynne said. "I think my skills could be better utilised by the two of you. If you will have me that is."

"Oh Wynne, we would be honoured of course," Caden said quickly. "And your healing abilities are second to none."

"Its up to you," Alistair said. Caden nodded.

"Welcome along." She said warmly.

Irving was shaking his head still smiling. "You never were one to sit idly by when others were off adventuring, Wynne." Wynne looked proud at this assessment. "Very well, you make sure you look after yourself."

"I will Irving," Wynne said softly.

* * *

Alistair and Caden took their leave and ensured that their companions were settled before they headed to their own rooms. At the threshold of Cadens, she hesitated. "Would you...come inside for a moment?" she asked, not sure why she felt nervous. Alistair didn't seem at all surprised and happily followed her inside, shutting the door behind him.

"You want to talk about where we're going next, don't you?" he said, grinning. "I knew you wouldn't be able to wait until morning." He sat down at the chair by the vanity.

Caden shook her head. "Actually, that's not why I asked you here." She said bemused. His smile vanished, replaced by confusion.

"Then why...?" Alistair cocked his head at her. "I know what it is. You intend to ravish me on that bed," he gestured to the ridiculously large bed opposite them. "That's why you came to rescue me, isn't it? You couldn't live without me, I know." He laughed at his own joke.

Caden forced out a laugh. For some reason her pulse had skipped a beat when Alistair had smiled at her and mentioned the bed. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog that had settled there, making it hard to remember what she was trying to say. She turned away and went over to her pack. "If you could just be serious for a moment, please?" she said fishing around inside it.

"And ruin a lifetime habit?" Alistair said. Caden found what she was looking for and went back over to him. It was only when she stood before him that she realised that with him sitting down and her standing up she was the one having to look down to meet his eyes. It was a strange sensation. Caden reached down and took his hand.

"I think this belongs to you," Caden said placing the amulet in Alistairs palm. He stared for a long while before saying anything.

"This...this looks like my mother's...?" he said falteringly. "I don't understand, where did you get it from?"

"Teagan gave it to me," Caden said. "To give to you, I mean, not to keep. He had found it in the Arls study. He wanted you to have it."

"But I smashed it..." Alistair looked up at Caden, who quickly released his hand. "You remember I told you that Eamon sent me away to the Chantry when I was a little boy? I was so mad at him for doing it. He came to visit me a few times but I was awful to him. On one occasion I threw this necklace, the one piece of my mother's past I owned, at him. It hit the wall and broke. I thought I'd lost it forever due to my own stupidity."

"You were young," Caden said simply. "I was dreadful to my father when my mother died. 'Sick with grief' they called me. It's no excuse but it is still part of it. Part of what makes people act badly when they're hurting."

"I didn't know your mother was dead," Alistair said. "I'm sorry."

"I was very young when she died," Caden said. "I remember very little of her."

"I don't remember anything of mine," Alistair said. "Which is why I'm so pleased to have this back. I can't believe Eamon kept it and fixed it for me. Or that they trust me to have it again when I treated it so badly before!"

"I smashed the cup and plate my mother used a few years after her death," Caden told him. "I was sick of seeing them—it wasn't like she was ever going to use them again. So I smashed them and broke my father's heart that day. Even so, before I left with Duncan, he gave me my mothers boots." She looked down at them, still on her feet. "People forgive even if they don't forget."

"Thank you Caden, this means so much to me," Before Caden could protest that it was really all Teagans doing, Alistair had stood and embraced her. She stiffened at first, then relaxed into the hug. In spite of their height difference they fitted together quite well. She rested her head against his chest and heard his steady heart beat. She was glad that he couldn't hear hers—hers was dancing the Remigold.

After was felt like an age Caden forced herself to pull away. "Right, well, that's really all I asked you in here for, so you'd best get to your room."

"Yes," Alistair said jovially. "Lest tongues begin to wag. Unless you did want to discuss our next move?"

Caden shook her head forcefully. "No, lets sleep on it."

"Very well. Good night, Caden."

Caden shut the door behind him and then groaned to herself. She didn't like the swooping feelings her stomach was making. Not one bit.


	15. Follow Me

**Follow Me**

As it turned out, deciding on their next move was not resolved the next day. Nor the next, nor the day after that. There were compelling arguments for each option, yet conversely there were also compelling reasons to avoid the same places. Isolde was pushing for them to seek out brother Genitivi in Denerim, even going so far as to take Caden aside and try to add some emotional pressure by tearing up and quivering her lip about her near dead husband. It got so bad that Caden refused to be left alone with her anymore. Her worry was too all-encompassing and Caden found it hard to breathe around the Arlessa. On the one hand Caden had her own very good reasons to want to return to her home in the Alienage, but Alistair was dead against it. Leliana, Sten and Wynne usually sided with Alistair during these debates with Morrigan leaning more towards Caden. Caden wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. She had to concede that the reasons for avoiding Denerim were sensible; Loghain they had learned was holed up in the Palace with his daughter, the newly widowed Anora Theirin, and had named himself Regent. Teagan had been there when the announcement had been made. Although Caden had argued that if they stuck to the Market District and Alienage and were clever and quiet, it was unlikely that they would be spotted, Alistair had pointed out (not unkindly) that placing that amount of risk on her home and family would be both unfair and dangerous. Caden finally dropped it, but said that someone else could explain that to Isolde.

Which left the last two allies to recruit: the dwarves and the Dalish. Neither were particularly open to visitors. The dwarves at least were easy to locate; they were resident in one of the last two remaining cities below ground, Orzammer. This, Alistair told Caden, was found in the Frostback mountain. The drawback with this option was that Frostback Mountain was located far to the North-West of Ferelden and would take a month to reach it. The final option was the Dalish, but they were a wandering people and had not been sighted for many weeks.

The sheer amount of people looking to her to make a decision forced Caden to seek solace with those who favoured silence or other topics of conversation. Thus she found herself sparring with knights in the castle courtyard or sitting outside the cell in the dungeon where Jowan had been reinstated (pending Eamons awakening and subsequent punishment, Teagan had warned). After nearly a week spent becoming more and more insular, Leliana crept up on Caden while she made a sneaking sojourn into the village. Caden was standing on the small dock, gazing out across the lake. It was a clear day and she could see the vague outline of the tower in the distance. She didn't hear the sister coming.

"A fine day, isn't it?" Leliana said, snapping Caden out of her daydream with a jolt.

"Damn you," she muttered crossly. "I'm not used to people sneaking up on me like that."

"Well, I have had a lot of practise at becoming light-footed and I'm very good at it. Besides I'm sure that were I a darkspawn you would have sensed me coming." Leliana said, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry, I won't tell on you."

Caden made a noise like 'harrumph'. She had clearly been spending too much time around Sten (whom she had noted of late, was an expert at being quiet and not asking her what her plans were).

Leliana came up beside Caden and took in the surroundings. "Breathtaking, isn't it?" she said in a voice filled with wonderment. "I have seen so many sights in my travels as a minstrel, yet each new one I see causes all others to pale in comparison." She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh breeze. Caden watched her. Leliana was unlike her friends back at the Alienage; they were world-weary and full of jaded cynicism. Leliana seemed older than Caden and by the sounds of things had travelled before becoming a sister and yet she was constantly amazed by new things, with an almost childlike sense of wonder. It was a refreshing change, even if Caden didn't always know how to respond to such bald admiration. Alistair did, it seemed. While Cade had been hiding away from everyone, the sister and former templar often practised swordplay together and ate their meals side by side. Caden supposed they had much in common, what with their generally cheerful outlook on life, but that rationale didn't serve to still the new, jealous feelings their companionship evoked. Caden ate her meals with Jowan, after offering to take his meagre meal down with her.

Leliana suddenly sat down and yanked her boots off her feet, followed by her socks, then dipped her toes over the edge of the dock and slowly into the water. Caden watched in bewilderment. Leliana made a small squealing noise as the chill travelled up her legs. She turned her head and glanced at Caden over her shoulder. "It tingles!" she said with a trilling laugh. Caden couldn't help but smile. She slowly dropped into a cross-legged position next to Leliana, not quite up for the prospect of cold feet just yet. Leliana leant back on her hands and tilted her head skyward with her eyes shut. The bright noon sunshine lit up her face and she smiled. Caden tipped her own head back, but the sun was bright even against her closed eyelids, so she stopped. She focussed instead on the small ripples in the water that Leliana was creating with her toes.

Something about the woman sat beside her made Caden want to be around her, as if that cheerful disposition could rub off on her. Caden tilted her head up from staring at the lake to watch Lelianas face. In spite of the seemingly constant optimism and pious nature of the sister, Caden was a little unnerved. Something Jowan had told her earlier that day kept resonating in her mind.

"I have heard," Caden said carefully, "That in Orlais sometimes Minstrels are spies."

Leliana didn't make a move. "Where did you hear that?" she asked giving nothing away.

"Does it matter?" Caden asked, feeling herself getting impatient with the women's arch response. "Is it true?"

Leliana took a moment before answering. "It is true that sometimes Minstrels are Bards."

Caden waited for her to go on, but it seemed that Leliana believed this to be a satisfying end to the conversation. Caden did not agree.

"The difference being...?"

"A Minstrel is a travelling storyteller," Leliana explained, still with her head angled back and her eyes shut. "A Bard indeed works as a spy, under the direction of a Patron. They are usually high-up in court and a Bard is trained to do anything to extract their desired information. Many games are played out in the shadows of court by wealthy, well-to-do types using their Bards behind the scenes."

Caden narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "You seem to know an awful lot about them."

Leliana finally stopped sunbathing and turned around to look at Caden. For a moment there was a nervous glint to her eyes, but then she smoothed her features into a more relaxed expression. "Well, I _**am**_ from Orlais, you know? I spent much time at court in my capacity as a Minstrel."

Caden was not convinced. "You were a Bard, weren't you?"

Leliana laughed and got to her feet. "No, you are mistaken Caden." She turned to walk away.

Caden scrambled up and leapt after her, grabbing Lelianas wrist and pulling her around. "Don't lie to me. You were a Bard, _**weren't you**_?"

Now there was no mistaking the way Lelianas eyes darted from side to side anxiously. "I..."

"Tell me the truth: were you sent to spy on me? Did Loghain send you?" Caden snapped suddenly gripped by a furious fear.

"Caden, no," Leliana said, sounding genuine. "Of course not. The first I ever knew of you was when we crossed paths in Lothering, I swear."

"So why leave Orlais?" Caden asked, not releasing her vicelike grip on Lelianas arm. "Why come to Ferelden if not to spy? Why join the Chantry?"

"I..." To Cadens surprise, Lelianas eyes filled and she blinked tears away. "I have my reasons, but please believe me that I am no longer a Bard. I have left that life behind me. That's why I was at the Chantry, I wanted to build myself a new future, a better future. And that's how we came to meet and I knew I had to join you to help on your quest. I swear."

Caden chewed the inside of her cheeks as she considered. Leliana seemed genuine, but Caden couldn't decide. "I suppose Alistair already knows about this?"

Now the surprise was evident across Lelianas face. "What? No, I haven't told anyone."

"You mean during all of your cosy little chats, it never came up? Not once while you were in the Tower?" Caden said bitterly.

"Don't you think Alistair would have told you if he knew?" Leliana said sensibly.

Caden gave a half-hearted shrug and finally let go of Leliana. Leliana gave Caden a long look. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about my...about being a _**former**_ Bard." Leliana said. "I didn't think it was terribly relevant. I see now that I was wrong. You are right to worry about spies being around you on Loghains business; it is just the sort of thing I was once in charge of doing. But given that your task with Alistair is to drum up support for your cause and recruit allies there is little of that which can be done in secret. Be wary, but not so wary that you mistake friends for enemies." Caden nodded dumbly. She felt very foolish now.

"_**Are**_ we friends?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Caden, yes." Leliana insisted. "I expect you will tell Alistair and the others what you have learned...perhaps that is for the best. At least then you will know I have told you the truth about not having breathed a word to Alistair. You will get to see his shock first hand." Leliana gave Caden a shrewd look. "Truthfully we did not talk about me when we travelled to the Circle. He talked about little else than you." Cadens head shot up in surprise. "Well, what did you expect? He was angry with you and needed to let off steam."

With that Leliana made her way back to the castle, leaving Caden alone on the dock to dwell on what she had learned.

* * *

"Warden, this has gone on for quite long enough. I still suggest Denerim as our next sourse of action: go on the objective to find this Brother Genitivi and if you have the opportunity to strike at Loghain take it."

"Um, I'm a Warden, too, you know?"

"I agree with the witch. Remove your enemy from the equation and the rest of your task becomes much simpler."

"What about the treaties?"

"The treaties will have to wait, Alistair."

"Alistair is right, the treaties are the most pressing concern."

"Thank you Leliana, a voice of reason! We know exactly where the dwarves are; I say we go to them."

"Alistair, the last we heard from Orzammer they are in a state of chaos. Is now really the time to be asking them for help?"

"What do you suggest then, Teagan? No-one knows where the Dalish are."

"The Dalish will not be found if they choose to hide."

"Yes, thank you Morrigan for your supportive words."

"Where were the Dalish last sighted? Can we not determine that and then head for the area? Someone must have seen them."

"That's true. They do trade with travellers after all. I think they were heading north from the Korkari Wilds. I don't know more than that."

"Well, we could return there to see if we can find them?"

"I still say Orzammer is a better idea; couldn't we borrow some of Eamons knights to scout the areas most likely to contain the Dalish in the meantime?"

"Warden what is your choice?"

"Yes Caden, where do you think we should go?"

Caden's head hurt. Badly. Her companions had been going in circles for an hour and she was no closer to making a decision and none the wiser as to why it had to be her choice. A map of Ferelden was placed on the table before her. The names of each location swam before her eyes. She rubbed her temples and sighed. When she looked up every face was fixed on her, expectantly. She opened her mouth with no idea what she was about to say until she said it. Her heart and gut ruled. "Denerim. We will go to Denerim."

Everyone began talking at once, until Caden stood and raised her hands. Amazingly, the voices died down at once. "We will head for Denerim. On the way we will ask anyone we meet about the Dalish and try to pinpoint their location. Once at Denerim we will lay very low and ensure that we travel and lodge separately so as not to raise suspicion." Caden took a deep breath. "I will steer clear of the Alienage. I can't risk being recognised." She focussed on Alistair at this point. "That's how much I intend for us to remain hidden. We will get in, find Genitivi and get out. At least once we have spoken to him we will have accomplished that task and will hopefully be in more of a position to make a more informed move thereafter." Caden surveyed the group before her. Isolde was giving her a pinched smile but thankfully remaining silent. Teagan was nodding slowly as if the logic of her plan was winning him over, while Alistair and Leliana looked concerned. Wynne was frowning as if calculating something and Sten remained impassive as ever. Morrigan looked smug. Barkspawn just wagged his tail happily. Caden decided that she liked him best of all. "Right, now that that's been decided we will pack, have supper and then get an early night. We leave for Denerim tomorrow."

* * *

Alistair was waiting for her outside her room. Caden hesitated when she saw him, but as their eyes locked for a second she couldn't pretend she hadn't seen him and there was a part of her that wanted to hear what he had to say. So she stayed her course and came up next to him.

"Can we have a word?" Alistair asked, revealing nothing of what was going on inside his head.

"Of course." Caden pushed open the door and they went inside. Like before Alistair sat at the vanity and Caden went over to sit on her bed. It was large even by human standards and her feet dangled over the edge, just skimming the floor. She felt very small.

"So...Denerim?" Alistair said. Caden just nodded. "What made you choose that?"

Caden took a deep breath before answering. "It makes the most sense, I think." She shook her head in frustration. "Look, I explained everything just now. What more do you want?"

"You wanted to go on to Denerim from the outset, didn't you?" Alistair said, without waiting for an answer. "Why the huge delay if you weren't going to listen to anyone else's advice?"

"I listened!" Caden burst out, annoyance taking over. "I listened to everyone bicker and go in circles. And still no-one could convince me that anywhere else was the better option."

"Oh?" Alistair asked, clearly struggling to remain calm now. "And who were you listening to? Morrigan? Jowan?" He gave a humourless chuckle. "A apostate witch and a blood mage."

"I listened to everyone," Caden said flatly. "Don't be such a bigot."

"I'm not, I just—"

"Yes, you are." Caden said. "You don't like Morrigan because she's doesn't buy the notion that mages have to be locked away, or Jowan for trying to escape a life without emotion."

"I don't like Jowan because he tried to poison the man who raised me," Alistair snapped, his cool now shattered. "And I don't like Morrigan because, well, she's a complete bitch."

"Duncan said the Grey Wardens seek allies wherever they can find them." Caden said quietly. "I suppose _**you**_ think we should only take those along with us who are pure and faultless? I guess we'll have to say goodbye to Sten in that case; a convicted murderer? And let's not forget Leliana."

Alistair frowned. "What's Leliana got to do with this? She was a Chantry sister."

"Yes, she was when we found her," Caden said. "But did you know she was a Bard back in Orlais?" Now Caden saw the truth in Lelianas words: Alistair's face was a picture of surprise.

"No, I...I didn't know that." Alistair said softly. He rubbed his face with his hands. "Did she tell you that?"

"I figured it out," Caden said. "But she confirmed it, yes." She clasped her hands together in her lap and nervously tapped her fingers together. The great revelation of Lelianas past wasn't having the impact she had expected. In fact she was beginning to wish she hadn't said anything. She swallowed and slid down off the bed. She touched Alistair lightly on the shoulder. "Look, I promise you that I did listen to everyone's views and I took everything into account before making the decision." Alistair turned his head and looked up at her. "To be honest, I have no idea why it had to be me making the choice. We're both Grey Wardens, aren't we?"

Alistair flushed. "Yes, but since being on our own so far I've done nothing more than lead others into trouble. I don't want that responsibility again. I'm not a leader."

"And I am?"

"You saved your friends back at the Alienage, didn't you?" Alistair said. "And then you saved all of us, including me. And you got Connor back from the Fade."

Caden sighed, and tried to take her hand back, but Alistair grasped onto it gently, keeping hold of it. That threw her, but she tried to quickly gather up her thoughts. "I didn't save all my friends. People died. Nelaros died. And I was only able to fight back because of his and Soris' actions getting me a sword. I don't know exactly what Duncan told you, but after my friends had been removed to the Arls quarters two guards came to 'escort' me. They were big men, armed and in armour. If Soris hadn't showed up and given me a sword..." she trailed off, hardly daring to imagine what her fate would have been instead. "And it still wasn't quick enough to save Shianni."

"You've mentioned her before," Alistair said. "Who is she?"

Caden smiled in spite of herself. "She's my wonderful cousin. She's...Maker, she's a loud-mouthed idiot who gets herself into trouble more often than I can count, but that's only because she fights so hard against injustice. Shianni doesn't believe us elves should lie down and let the She—sorry, humans walk all over us. When everyone else wants to keep their heads down and just pretend it doesn't happen, Shianni refuses." Her smiled faded. "I haven't seen her since I carried her out of his room. She was so hysterical by what had happened that she was given a sleeping draught. I...I couldn't even say goodbye."

Alistair felt a twinge of empathy and squeezed Cadens hand tightly. "I can see now why you are so eager to return to her." He said tenderly. "For what it's worth, you didn't let her down. You still came for her when she needed you. You could have just run when you had the chance, but you didn't. You fought your way to her and you took her home." Caden listened silently, the words acting like a salve on the guilt she had been carrying around since that day. She was surprised to find that the weight was lifting a little. "And you came for us..." he looked away, but then seemed to steel himself to look back at her. "We would have died there and never even known it was happening, until you came and saved us. I owe you some trust, Caden. I will gladly follow you to Denerim on the proviso that we go in quietly and get out quickly."

"Agreed." Caden said.


	16. The Trap

**The Trap**

"I could teach you, you know?" Caden looked up from the ground to frown at Leliana. "Some of the skills I learned as a Bard. I've been watching you fight and I think you could pick it up."

They had been on the road for four days now and had come across small roving bands of darkspawn a few times along the way. Caden had mostly seen Leliana wielding her bow, but on the occasions when close combat was called for she had used two daggers to dispatch her foes, much like the daggers that Caden used. She wasn't exactly sure what Leliana could teach her, but she had to admit that her curiosity was piqued. Caden nodded. "Sure. When we next make camp for the night you can show me whatever you want to teach me." Leliana smiled at Caden and the two fell silent again.

The Imperial Highway was, Caden had learned, very deserted compared to its usual busy traffic. They had met knights (Caden and Alistair had hidden as best they could from these, just in case), a few merchants peddling their wares and small groups of refugees. From these brief encounters they learned that Lothering was almost entirely empty now and the hordes from Ostagar were nearly upon it. They were able to barter using armour and weaponry taken from fallen enemies for food, potions and anything else they needed.

Caden found that they worked well as a team and were mostly untroubled by the darkspawn they encountered. In fairness, they always had a warning by Alistair and Caden feeling the sensation that they were nearby. Alistair was still reluctant to make important decisions, so Caden often directed this short battles. Usually Alistair, Sten and Barkspawn would head directly into the fray with Morrigan and Wynne holding back; Morrigan to cast offensive spells, Wynne to send out healing spells. Leliana would stand before them providing cover with her arrows and Caden would try to skirt around the battle, weakening their defences. If there were any emissaries or archers on the enemy side, Caden and Leliana would focus their efforts on them. They worked quickly and after a few fights like this they all began to pick up each other's fighting styles, offering comments and compliments when it suited. Everyone seemed happy to follow suit with Alistair and all deferred to Caden for leadership. It still didn't sit comfortably with her, but she realised quickly that they needed the structure of a leader and as Alistair was not taking up the mantle, that she would just have to.

On their first night in camp, Caden suffered a terrible nightmare. In it she saw the Archdemon again and watched him flying over Ferelden, showering flames upon the land and burning it to the ground. It made her all the more eager to get to Denerim. She somehow felt very exposed on the road. Denerim, even though it housed an enemy of the Wardens, felt familiar and safe in comparison.

The sun was arcing across the sky and the light was becoming warm and golden. Caden went over to Alistair. "We should think about stopping and making camp soon." She said. On their first night they had misjudged the night's advancement and ended up trying to erect tents and build a fire in the darkness. Sten had been most discouraged by their inexperience.

Alistair nodded. "I think you're right." He looked around. "I don't think this is a very good spot." He said surveying the uneven ground with its high hills either side of the road. "Too closed in and rife for an ambush."

"I agree," Caden called over to Leliana. "Leliana, you and I will scout on ahead for a suitable camp site."

Leliana nodded and the two women set off at an easy run. Leliana quickly pulled ahead of Caden—her legs were longer by a good few inches and so her stride covered more ground. Caden let her take the lead and followed her along the road. They soon left the group behind, yet the valley road stretched onwards.

Leliana stopped suddenly and Caden almost ran into her. "What is it?" She asked crossly.

"Look," Leliana pointed to a lone figure who was hurrying towards them. Caden looked and saw a frightened looking woman who was dishevelled and covered in dirt. She went to meet her as she ran.

"Oh thank the Maker," the woman panted as Caden drew up to her, concern writ large on her face. "Please can you help—they attacked the caravans!"

"Bandits," Leliana said grimly. Caden flashed her a look and as one they hurried to follow the woman as she led them further along the road. They finally came to a wide open space just as the valley opened up to the rest of the road, with smaller hills and many trees. There were some dead oxen strewn about along with destroyed caravans. The woman ran over to the centre of the clearing and stopped. Leliana placed a hand on Cadens arm, stopping her as her eyes scoured the sight.

Suddenly there was a great noise and Caden turned to see a giant tree trunk heading towards them. With a cry she and Leliana leapt aside. The trunk of the tree was vast and effectively cut off their escape. Sickened, Caden turned back to the woman. People were now emerging from behind the caravans and from the hills above them. There were arrows trained on them both. A trap, and their companions were too far behind to reach them. Could she stall for time...?

A final man appeared beside the woman who had lured them to their doom. Caden was shocked to see an elf amongst these men. He had light blonde hair and tattoos on his face and he smiled at Caden, bowing curtly to her a mocking greeting. "Hmm, I thought there would be more of you," he said in an accented voice. "Ah well, two is plenty. The Crows send their regards," The archers made a move; Caden heard bow strings stretching.

"Wait," she burst out quickly. She cast her mind around frantically. Leliana kept her eyes trained on the archers above, but both women kept their hands raised. "Who are you...who are the Crows?"

"You have not heard of the Antivan Crows?" the elf said, his eyebrows rose in disbelief. "My dear, where have you been hiding all your life?"

"I grew up in an Alienage," Caden said, forcing her gaze away from the archers and back onto the elf. "Didn't you?"

"No, I most certainly did not," he said.

"I'm jealous," Caden replied, sweat beading on her brow.

"No," the elf responded darkly. "You really aren't."

"Why does Antiva want us dead?" Caden asked hurriedly, trying to keep his attention. Leliana had edged around behind Caden so that they were practically back to back. In a very low voice she murmured to Caden: "I have bombs in my pack." Caden jerked her head once to let her know that she'd understood.

"Antiva does not give a fig if you live or die," the elf said. "But do not think I am so foolish as to tell you who sent us."

"It was Loghain, wasn't it?" Caden couldn't help but ask. The elf chuckled and wagged his finger.

"Silly Warden," he said, confirming what she knew. "Do not think I do not know what you are—"

"Now!" Caden yelled. Lelianas hands were a blur as she slid into her pack, withdrew a glass jar in each hand and in the same motion flicked her wrists up in opposite directions. Each jar landed amidst the archers on the hills, both erupting on impact creating a storm of flames and dirt. The noise echoed through the valley, Caden noted.

Before the bombs had even hit their targets, Leliana had dived one way, unsheathing her arrows and aiming them at the enemies behind the caravans. Caden had leapt forward, easily dispatching the woman who had acted as their lure and then she stood before the elf. He grinned wildly and unsheathed his own daggers. Caden advanced.

He was quick and nimble and Caden was not used to fighting someone so equally matched to her. The darkspawn had their own style of fighting and she had adapted to beat them, but this elf was startlingly similar to her. Adrenaline was pumping around her body making lending her speed and strength, but he fought dirty. Caden flashed back to fights with humans in Denerim—she had had to fight dirty then, too. She brought up her left arm as if to strike him, leaving her side defenceless and he took the bait, throwing much of his weight behind his strike. Before he could make contact, Caden whirled around and aimed a kick at his shin. The move connected and he toppled over, landing on his shoulder. He dropped into a roll, but Caden has pre-empted this. She jumped to catch him on his back and stamped her foot down on his right arm. It spasmed and dropped the dagger he was holding. Caden thrust one of her own knives down to his neck. Both elves froze.

"Go on then, Warden," the elf said with no trace of fear in his voice. "Kill me."

Caden hesitated for a mere moment. She wasn't sure what stilled her killing blow, but the smallest moment went past and then she heard Alistair yelling her name. It was distraction enough; the elf kicked her and Caden stumbled. Before she knew it they were face to face and he now held his knife at her throat. Without thinking Caden whacked her forehead into his nose and he cried out, loosening his blade. Caden brought her knee up and slammed it into his abdomen. He doubled over, but Caden grabbed his collar and hauled him back upright. Blood poured from his nose, but his face was not afraid.

"Caden, are you alright?" Leliana called. Caden looked up and saw her friend replace her arrows. The Bard had handled every assassin while Caden had been pre-occupied with their leader. She felt awed by the sight.

"Yes, I am fine," she called back. "You?"

"Perfect." Leliana nodded and then turned to head up one of the hills, to guide their approaching companions to their location.

"Good." Caden looked at the assassin before her. "Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Zevran Arainai," he said thickly. "Zev to my friends. And to answer your earlier question, yes it was a fellow called Loghain who sent me. Alas it seems the mighty Crows are no match for you Warden."

"Damn right," she said. To her surprise he gave a hearty laugh.

"I love that attitude!" he said. He seemed very relaxed for someone who was being held against his will by someone he had been sent to kill. Caden told him as much. "Ah, but you see, if you were going to kill me you would have done it by now."

"What makes you think I'm not planning on torturing you for information?" she asked, feeling oddly indignant.

"Whatever for?" he managed an almost shrug in spite of being restrained. "I have already told you everything I know and you already knew the information anyway. I would consider that you might torture me just for the fun of it, but you do not look the type. Besides," he said, his smile becoming more lecherous, "being tied up and held to the mercy of a beautiful woman such as yourself? I do not think I would mind that so much."

Caden was so surprised by the sudden flirting that she nearly let him go. "That's awfully brazen of you." She finally stuttered out.

"I am awfully brazen," he said by way of explanation. "Dear Warden, I have a proposition for you. I have failed in my task for the Crows and so my life is now forfeit. It is your decision if you wish to have me killed, but consider this: I could join up with you instead. You have seen my skills in battle and as an assassin I have many more skills which I could utilise to aid you."

"Why would I take along an assassin sent to murder me?" Caden asked. "If not to make it easier for you to finish the job later?"

"There is no more job," Zevran said. "I failed my task, that's it. Plus I have given you the name of the man who sent me. I said my life is forfeit and truly it is. The Crows would have me killed sooner than you when they find out. Personally I find myself at a sudden loss and in need of some skilled protection. It is a win-win situation."

Caden mulled it over in her head for a moment. She suspected that she was just being very naive and Alistair would pitch a fit she was sure, but something in Zevrans face and voice made her trust his word. She released him and stepped away.

"Thank you, Warden." Zevran said, bowing again in a genuine greeting this time.

"Caden," Caden said. "My name is Caden."

"I look forward to battling by your side, Caden," Zevran said. "I must say your skills were impressive—I would not have been embarrassed to meet my end at hands as accomplished as yours."

"Caden!" Caden turned to see Alistair leading her companions (who had evidentially succeeded in climbing over the fallen tree. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said warmly. "Everyone else?"

Once she was satisfied by the murmurs and nods, she gestured to Zevran. "This is Zevran. He has joined our quest."


	17. Splinter

**Splinter**

Alistair was still given her odd looks. Caden had decided for them to pitch their camp where the ambush had taken place, given its closed in location and the fact that night had quickly caught up with them. Their tents were erected and a fire was merrily burning with supper cooking over it, yet Alistair was still frowning at her. Finally she could take it no more and went over to sit beside him, a little way away from everyone else. She spoke in a low voice. "You have something to say?"

"We're actually taking the_ assassin_ along with us?" Alistair burst out as if the words had been waiting on the tip of his tongue since Caden had told him the news. He kept his voice low, but even so it contained enough incredulity (and loathing in the word 'assassin') to make his point. "I know I said I owed you some trust, but you're taking it way beyond the limit of my faith in your plans."

"What do you suggest?" Caden asked slowly. "That we leave him to scurry back to Loghain and inform him of our whereabouts and where we are heading and whom is travelling with us? Or do we kill him in cold blood? Which is it to be?"

Alistair balked at this. "Well...we can't let him go now."

"So kill him." Caden said simply as if this was the easy solution they had been grasping for. "Go on, I insist. You go over there to where he is gathering firewood and stab him. Or no, better yet let us slit his throat in his sleep."

"Alright, I get the idea," Alistair said begrudgingly. "But you're mad if you start to trust him; there is nothing to stop him from finishing the job—by which I mean us don't forget!—at a later date."

"I doubt it." Caden argued, scuffing her toes into the dirt. "He has nothing to gain from murdering us and everything to gain from sticking by us. I know he's only here for his own protection, I'm not that stupid. But he can be useful, I'm certain of it. I won't judge him before he's had a chance to prove himself."

"And this has nothing to do with the fact that he's an elf?" Alistair suggested bravely. "If he had been a human assassin you would still have stayed your hand?"

"I knew you would think that," Caden said without anger. "I don't think it would have changed it at all. You see I'm trying this new thing where I don't go mad and murder everyone in sight if they try to kill me first." She gave a wry smile. Alistair couldn't help but return it.

"How's that working out for you?"

"Not bad." Caden said lightly before her face darkened and she hesitated before saying: "I still have my wedding dress you know? I carry it in my pack. I haven't washed it—it's stained all over with dried blood."

"Why did you bring that?" Alistair asked, confused.

"Well for a start, I had no chance to change my clothes until Duncan and I were on the road." Caden said. "But really I keep it to remind myself of what happened that night. I am not the Maker. I do not get to decide who lives or who dies. I will not kill a man or elf in cold blood."

Alistair said nothing now. He just took her hand.  
"Anyway," Caden said brightly, trying to move past the gloomy conversation and in an effort to ignore the way her heart had started fluttering at her companions comforting touch. "No-one can tell me I don't know how to travel, eh? Look at me, I've so far collected a mabari, a mage, a witch, a former bard, a Qunari warrior and now a brand spanking new assassin. And," Caden said leaning towards Alistair and bumping him with her shoulder, "not forgetting my Warden brother."

"Did you just call me brother?" Alistair said excitedly. "Are you finally coming around to the idea of the wonderful Warden family?"

A smile played teasingly on her lips. "Maybe." She admittedly quietly.

"Don't tell anyone I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me."

* * *

"So I take it that Alistair was none too pleased by your decision to let me tag along with you all?" Zevran asked Caden the next day in the midst of their continued journey to Denerim. Caden had opted to keep her fellow elf nearby and so had taken up the first watch of the previous night with him and was now walking practically at his heels. She kept her face blank.

"I don't know what you mean." She said. Zevran smirked.  
"Oh really?" he scoffed, gently teasing her. "So I did not observe many suspicious glances sent my way by your fellow Warden last night?"

Caden shrugged obliquely. "You're an assassin who was sent to kill us. Why wouldn't he keep an eye on you?"

Zevran laughed. "That is a fair point, even though you have my word that I have no longer any need to murder you at all. I can see that I will have to work for your faith, but that is a sensible thing and I will not object." He turned his head and let his eyes roam over her body, hidden as it was beneath worn leather armour. Caden did not tell him to stop; she did not think he would heed her objection, but she also found that she did not mind so much. His gaze felt nothing like the human men who would leer at her in the Alienage, in spite of its seeming similarity. He was an elf and he owed her for not killing him when she had the chance. She felt oddly powerful, a new sensation with regards to her sexuality, and couldn't help but enjoy his obvious attraction to her.

"So Alistair is happy to go along with your plans?" Zevran asked his eyes now firmly fixed on her face, watching her as he spoke. "You say jump, he asks how high?"

At this Caden bristled. She didn't like the way he made it sound. "Not at all," Caden said stubbornly. "We are Wardens together. We are equal."

"Hmm, yes," Zevran said shrewdly. "You are both equal, but one of you is more equal than the other, is that it?"

"Listen carefully,_Zev_," Caden snapped, "because I'm only going to say this once. Alistair is my Warden brother, but yes I am in charge here. We agreed on this together so it wasn't that I simply wrested control from him. Even so, I am the leader and you answer to me. But Alistair is—as far as I'm concerned—my second-in-command so if he tells you to do something you had better bloody well do it, or you will be answering to me as I will back him to the hilt."

"I will answer to you?" Zevran said with a slow smile. "That, my dear, makes misbehaving sound positively_alluring_." Caden sighed in exasperation and he chuckled. "I jest, Caden, do not worry. You are in charge and Alistair is your right-hand man: got it."

They walked (in Cadens opinion) in blessed silence for a while until Zevran spoke again. His voice was low and he spoke out of the corner of his mouth so as not to be overheard. "For someone who you claim is as close as a brother to you, you give him the most un-sisterly looks I must say."

Caden blushed before she could think. "What do you mean?" she spluttered.

"I mean," Zevran said carefully, "that I have watched you watching him and based on those looks...well, let's just say were I he, I would find it difficult to resist such a wanton invitation into your bed."

"What? No!" Caden stuttered in shock. "What? That's not...I'm not..."  
Zevran patted her arm in a very fatherly sort of way. "Don't worry, dear one." He soothed. "The man is oblivious of course. You take your time." Then he moved off without so much as a backwards glance, to compliment and tease Wynne on her bosom and the moment was gone.

Caden felt very hot and oddly naked. She didn't think she had been that obvious when she stole glances at Alistair now and then. And while she had not been daydreaming about sleeping with Alistair (although, she now thought irritably, now that the idea had been planted in her head, such images would no doubt now come uninvited into her mind) her thoughts had not exactly been entirely chaste, either. Caden couldn't help it; she was undeniably attracted to him.

"Everything alright?" Caden jumped as the very man in question came up beside her. She flushed again and couldn't look at him. She caught Zevrans smirk when he tossed her a look over his shoulder and her cheeks burned fiercely.

"Mmm," she said stupidly.

"Was Zevran bothering you?" Alistair asked, laying a concerned hand on her arm.

"No, no," Caden said quickly. "I was just letting him know what the chain of command is with us, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Alistair pressed, leaning close to her as they walked. "You seem flushed—"

"I'm fine," Caden said slapping a smile on her face. "Thank you for asking."

"If you say so," he said not convinced. "I think we should stop here for the night. You look like you could use a lie-down."

Caden heard Zevrans unmistakeable peal of laughter as they came to a stop. She nodded mutely and, hating her ridiculous uncontrollable emotions, she got to work collecting firewood.

* * *

The next day brought the gates of Denerim that much closer and with it came a stroke of good luck. Caden, Leliana and Zevran (Caden had instructed Leliana to act as Zevrans minder of sorts given his arch comments about her the day before) had peeled off from the rest of the group in order to do some business with one of the many merchants heading towards Denerim. This chap was a surface dwarf and Caden appreciated speaking with someone more her height than usual. After stocking up on ingredients Wynne, Leliana and Zevran requested for crafting health poultices, small explosives and poisons respectively, the dwarf began to speak of elves. Caden only half listened as she rifled through his display of charms until she heard a word that made her take notice. "Dalish?" she asked, "You've seen them?"

The dwarf shook his head. "Not seen, no. Elves and dwarves don't tend to trade and the Dalish keep to themselves. But I did buy some daggers from a fellow who's brother had had dealings with them. He claimed it had been recently, maybe a week ago."

"Did he happen to mention where he had dealings with them?" Caden asked, her heart thrumming with excitement.

"Aye, that he did." The dwarf nodded scratching at his ebony black beard. "Down near the Brecilian Forest they were."

Caden frowned a little. "I don't know where that is."

Leliana drew out her map and unfolded in front of them. "We're here," she said pointing to a part of the Imperial Highway. "The forest is here." She gestured to a mass of faded green to the south east. Now Cadens heart skipped a beat.

"Thank you," she gasped to the dwarf. "You don't know how helpful you have been!"

"Well, if I've been that helpful..." he said wryly. Caden threw an extra sovereign down onto coins for their purchases and he grinned happily. "Much obliged, lady!"

Caden rushed back to the rest of their group, Leliana and Zevran at her heels.

"We've found the Dalish!"

* * *

"But we don't have a confirmed sighting?" Caden sighed. They had been over this already.

"I told you the dwarves' friends' brother saw them not so long ago."

The matching looks of scepticism on Alistairs and Morrigans faces were almost enough to bring laughter to Cadens lips. Almost. She doubted they would appreciate the similarity as she did.

"Warden, how do know this to be true?" Morrigan asked disparagingly. "For all you know twas but a line he was spinning you in want of gold."

Caden made a snap decision there not to confess the sovereign she had gifted him. "Look, I know it isn't much, but it is all we have. I don't want to miss up this chance—even if it is a slim one—and then go months without another. I want to follow it up."

"In the meanwhile the Arl grows ever sicker." Wynne spoke softly, as if she did not like dashing Cadens hopes.

Caden shrugged a little helplessly. "We don't know that Denerim holds the key to the location of the Urn, either. We're already following one thin trail..." even as she spoke she knew how flimsy the argument sounded. She turned to Alistair who had remained mostly silent throughout her explanation. "Alistair. I would like to hear from you."

He sighed and looked thoughtful. "I am not convinced of this so-called news with regards to the Dalish." He said finally, and Caden's heart sank a little. "We already have a plan, perhaps we should stay the course?"

Caden deflated. They all thought she was mad. Perhaps she was? The trail was more than likely a wild goose chase after all. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that they ought to try. "Can we compromise, maybe?" she put forth, thinking on her feet. "How about this: we split into two groups with one heading for Denerim to seek out the Brother and the other scouting the Brecilian Forest."

Alistair scrunched his face up. "Ooh, not sure I like the sound of that...remember the last time we split up? Not keen to repeat it..."

"It'll be fine," Caden insisted, waving her arm dismissively.

"How would you split us?" Wynne wanted to know.

"Um...I think," Caden felt her face fall as she suddenly realised what she had led herself to. "I think Alistair and I should lead the group heading into the forest. We are Wardens and thus have the right to call the Dalish on their alliance. For another thing, this solves the problem of us heading into the capital city were our enemy lies in wait." She noticed Alistair nod at this and guessed that if nothing else this had won him over. Too bad she felt lousy about it now—how could she happily deny herself the chance to return to Denerim? "Wynne, I'd like you, Morrigan, Leliana and Sten to go to Denerim. I think the four of you are more than a match for any trouble you may encounter and besides both Morrigan and Leliana are skilled in avoiding detection in most circumstances." Morrigan preened a little at this, while Leliana just nodded agreeably. "Alistair and I will take Zevran with us; I'd like to keep my eye on him further and I wonder if maybe the Dalish will prefer mostly elves to enter their camp? I think we shall have to take Barkspawn with us as he seems reluctant to follow anyone else." She cast a look down to her feet where the mabari lolled happily against her. "How does that sound?"

Alistair nodded slowly, thinking it over. "I'm pretty sure you've covered everything. I can't deny that it seems sensible. I'm not thrilled about taking the assassin with us, but hey, who am I complain?" Caden didn't like the note of sarcasm that entered his voice at the end, but she ignored it for now.

"Good, then it is settled." She said firmly. "I want us to spend the rest of the afternoon dividing up out gear and packs and then everyone must get some rest. We head out tomorrow."


End file.
